Plymouth Whalers – McKeen's Hockey

Kats Krunch: Great Danes – Nikolaj Ehlers & Oliver Bjorkstrand

Gus Katsaros — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 15:43:37 +0000

Denmark sent a representative team to Toronto to compete in the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships devoid of the star power and name recognition of some of the higher echelon teams.

There’s no Connor McDavid or jack Eichel’s for the draft eligible crowd to fawn over, and missing are a Sonny Milano, William Nylander or Sam Reinhart, drafted players that carry a high pedigree amongst their peers.

Six Danish players adorn CHL team silks in 2014-15, including two great Danes differentiated from the lunch-bucket crew, and the only players drafted by an NHL team.

Some notable players on the Denmark team include Nick Olesen, recognizable by the ‘flow’ and Seattle Thunderbirds pivot, Alexander True a draft eligible player in 2015. Another notable was defenseman Mads Larsen

The Winnipeg Jets are blessed with a plethora of drafted representation in this tournament, none better than the 2014 (9th overall) pick from the Halifax Mooseheads, Nikolai Ehlers. Partnered with linemate Oliver Bjorkstrand, the 2013 3rd pick by Columbus (89th overall) were the offensive catalysts for the Danes, having a hand in three of the country’s six goals scored in the preliminary round.

Nikolaj Ehlers, LW (Winnipeg), 2014

Electrifying with the puck whether it was from a long range rush, or quick bursts in the offensive zone, Jets pick in 2014 was the most dangerous Danish forward all tournament .. pushed back defenders with speed – although guilty of outside lanes and cutting to the goal .. capable of quick and efficient zone entries precipitated by speed through the neutral zone .. in the offensive zone, coupled change of pace with explosive first two-step acceleration in one-on-one situations, isolating a single defenseman to maneuver around .. elusive and tricky along the boards, using quick directional shifts with his feet, or toe drags and pull backs by lightning quick hands .. drove to the net with the puck .. could be forgiven for overhandling the puck at times with limited options without Bjorkstrand on the ice .. likely the fastest player on the sheet for any team he played against .. partnered marvelously with Bjorkstrand in the offensive zone, winning puck battles in tandem and setting each other up for shots on goal .. fired the puck much less versus Sweden, partly a reflection of the 5-1 romp in score, and retaining the puck instead of shooting in reasonable areas – similar to the final game versus the CzechRepublic .. if there’s one reason to be excited in Winnipeg, the Danish speedster is a bright starting point in their youth movement.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW (Columbus) 2013

Blue Jackets 1st rounder featured upgrades in skating and balance from his draft year, complimenting a high tempo offensive game featuring a sizzling wrist shot, where he fired from various locations – and close into his body .. more dangerous against Russia than Sweden, where he seemed to adopt a more stationary stance in a support role instead of attacking scrums and hunting for pucks (unclear if this was inherent or a coaching tweak) .. main shooter, lined up on the left side as a shooter on the PP looking for the one-timer set up .. was also the trigger man at even strength, often looked upon for teeing up feeds from linemate Ehlers .. scored tournament opening goal from this spot after a face off win .. dangerous with the puck versus Russia, determined to win every battle along the boards and in open space .. was more focused at attacking from an angle on rushes, forcing defenseman to pivot or make a directional change or shift in footing, less so versus Sweden, where he seemed to drive into the attack head on and through defesnemen .. hard wrist shot from a short wind up, exhibited periodically in the opening game .. fired the puck less, resolved on keeping it for better positioning or an opening, whereas he fired from prime real estate versus Russia .. similar to linemate Ehlers, where they created a lot of Denmark’s offense as a tandem, most of the prettiest efforts never ended up in the net .. lots to be excited about for Blue Jackets fans with this bargain 3rd round pick.

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Kats Krunch: Sonny Milano – Plymouth’s Rock

Gus Katsaros — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 15:41:28 +0000

Massaapequa, New York native was chosen in the 1st round (16th overall) in 2014 by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The talented 6-foot, 190 pound winger relinquished enrollment to Boston College, confirming the speculation after dodging many questions about his commitment to the US College. Instead, he signed an entry level contract with the Blue Jackets, then subsequently placed in Plymouth to develop in the Ontario Hockey League, a 3-hour, 325 kilometer distance north of Columbus, with the added bonus of keeping close ties to his draft team.

The Plymouth Whalers rolled through Mississauga on December 5, 2014, squandering an early 2-0 lead to end up in a 4-3 loss to the Steelheads. Below are notes from the game performance for Milano, who ended up with one goal and two assists in a losing effort.

Sonny Milano, LW, Columbus (2014)

Photo by Toms Sorensen.

Superb skating ability and explosive acceleration on display from his first shift .. exceptional stamina over long shifts especially while playing at a high tempo for the first few shifts, looking just as energetic late in shifts (like a late shift rush up ice, racing at high speed to get into scoring position) as when first stepping on to the ice .. assisted on the first goal with a solid cross-ice pass to a streaking Matt Mistele .. effortless skater, despite a sloppy skate lace set up that would suggest more of an ankle burner stride than explosiveness .. sprinkled in quick hands and elite stickhandling similar to the documented superb skills from the 2014 Scouting Combine (see video embedded below) .. works in a high tempo setting the pace of play in the neutral and offensive zone .. deft one-touch pass under forechecking pressure to an open teammate, directing the puck through the forecheckers legs in a dangerous part of the ice .. executing on that play is notable, but demonstrating the resolve to pull it off in that dangerous area added dimension to the play .. natural tendency to get the puck to the front of the net if there isn't an immediate play – especiallt if he’s running out of real estate .. scored off a breakaway pursued by a determined backchecker using stick and arms to interfere, and timed the protection of the puck with a swinging stick check maintaining control and speed to flick a backhand over stretched out goaltender .. lacked some strength in board battles, bouncing off bigger opponents .. better suited as the support player than the player battling for the puck along the wall .. despite the elite skating and stick skills, displayed a tendency to skate himself into dead ends if he doesn’t have an angle wide for a skating lane .. impressive showing, notwithstanding the loss.

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Whalers patient, OHL picks 16-19

Sean Lafortune — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:04:39 +0000

In our fourth and final installment of the OHL draft, scouting reports highlight the final four picks of the first round.

The Plymouth Whalers are proving patience is a virtue after drafting the highly-skilled forward Jordan Greenway with the 16^th pick. Greenway is heading to the USNTDP, which means he won’t make his Whalers debut for two more years, but once there, he should be worth the wait.

The Owen Sound Attack took Ethan Szypula with the next pick. Szypula is a wizard with the puck, but plays with a chip on his shoulder and a burning desire to make a difference.

Justin Lemcke (pictured), a big and fluid skating defenceman, followed in the 18^th pick. The Bulls took a player that will be hard to play against who could also emerge as a future leader in the Quinte region.

The London Knights closed out the first round with the supremely-skilled, but diminutive forward Mitchell Marner. The future Knight will have time to grow in a depth role on a skilled team and should emerge as a scoring sensation in the not-too-distant future.

Photo courtesy of Paul Kidd

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Jordan Greenway (LW, 2015), Shattuck St Mary’s U16 – 6’5" – 205 pounds – February 16, 1997

Drafted 16^th overall by the Plymouth Whalers

Greenway has been developing at the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s prep hockey program over the past few years, a program that has had such graduates as Sidney Crosby, Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews over its storied history .. Potsdam, NY native has the rare combination of size, mobility and puck skills that make him a real appealing option for OHL teams .. protects the puck like few at this age group, holding off checkers and dishing out seeing-eye passes .. most effective when driving the net courageously, looking to unload a heavy, accurate snap-shot .. gets his blade on tip-ins and rebounds due to his sharp hand-eye coordination .. not an elegant skater, he is somewhat stiff and slightly heavy-footed .. continues to ad fluidity and length to his skating stride .. shows flashes of a gritty, physical edge to his game, yet lacks that natural aggressive streak .. continues to add muscle and core strength to his massive frame .. still lacks defensive zone awareness at times, as he takes poor angles and doesn’t sustain consistent positioning .. currently uncommitted to a U.S. college, Greenway has multiple options at his disposal .. has reportedly committed to the USNTDP U17 program, where he will play an important role for the squad .. had the ability and potential to be a top-5 selection for the OHL Draft, but fell due to his USNTDP commitment .. the selection of Greenway seems reminiscent of the Saginaw Spirit selecting Brandon Saad in the 2009 OHL draft, where the Spirit felt that two years with Saad would be more valuable to them then other options.

Ethan Szypula (C, 2015), London Jr. Knights – 5'9" – 154 pounds – January 28, 1997

Drafted 17^th overall by the Owen Sound Attack

A shifty skater who can create space using a deceptive change of pace and tricky stick-handling .. insightful playmaker, cleaver passer with sneaky hands plus a good, undersized shot .. soft hands, a strong puck-handler and cleaver “in close” skills .. a crafty and talented passer, has a knack for creating space and finding open lanes .. accelerates swiftly and attains good top speed from a long and powerful skating stride .. a threat in transition, generates a burst with each step, and on crossovers to produce excellent diagonals speed .. adept at holding the puck, exploiting his poise and patience .. competes -- chippy and aggressive -- willing to do what it takes to win .. gets caught flat-footed watching defensive sequences and must strive to stay involved with the play in his own zone .. prone to over-handling the puck at times .. reluctant to drive his slight frame at defenders and will peel off and relinquish possession under the threat of contact .. filling in and adding strength and mass to his frame will aid him as he moves forward .. will play an immediate depth role, and may see some select power-play time .. however, he will have to adjust to the pace and speed that the OHL brings, while also physically maturing .. once he makes that adjustment, he has the ability to be a front-line offensive force for the Attack, while also bringing a high compete level and willingness to do what it takes to win.

Justin Lemcke (D, 2015), Whitby Wildcats – 6'1" – 192 pounds – February 13, 1997

Drafted 18^th overall by the Belleville Bulls

Captain of the Whitby Wildcats .. tall, poised rearguard is an attractive skater for his size .. fluid with good range .. reaches top gear quicker having added power to a long, smooth stride .. more agile and stronger on his edges and gradually improving his turning speed .. still can lose time on his pivots and transitions .. misses elite start-up and top-end speed .. displays an understanding for when to integrate himself into the attack, aided by good puck-handling skills and a booming shot .. strong on the puck, patiently waits for outlets to open and makes a good first pass .. sustains strong gap control, defending the rush with poise while relying on his active stick .. can be overtaken time to time with his average backwards speed, as opposing skaters have the ability to skate wide on him .. lacks assertiveness in physical battles, needs to learn how to better use his frame and exploit his excellent strength .. competitive, difficult to play against, uses his thick frame to lean and grind down on opponents below the defensive red line .. can still waste energy running around and chasing the puck in his own zone .. most effective when focusing on proper execution .. must continue to bulk up his spacious frame while upgrading his offensive tools .. can struggle in possession, not making quick enough reads in the offensive zone .. should come into Belleville and play an immediate depth role for a re-tooling Bulls squad .. has the ability to be a defensive-focused player who logs a significant amount of hard minutes .. will not be a pure puck-mover, but could act as an effective trigger-man on the power-play.

Mitch Marner (C, 2015), Don Mills Flyers – 5'8" – 130 pounds – May 5, 1997

Drafted 19^th overall by the London Knights

Marner played his first year with the Don Mills Flyers after spending his bantam year with the Vaughan Kings .. used as an affiliate player for the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the OJHL, playing top-9 minutes and adding some important secondary scoring for the Buckland Cup champions .. gifted passer and shooter, imaginative, he has an excellent sense for how to create offence .. possesses some paralyzing one-on-one moves, accentuated by remarkable in-tight escapability .. dynamic, undersized speedster hunches forward and generates a blistering pace .. generates a strong start-up burst and accelerates to top gear within seconds .. opens up lanes via explosive lateral cuts at high speed .. dangerous off the rush, hard to contain gaps on .. plays a brave game in spite of a diminutive frame, displaying resilience and persistence .. continues to work on upgrading his defensive zone play .. still gets erased by bigger, stronger defenders who successfully contain his time and space .. balance and strength will be an issue moving forward .. struggles to maintain his edges and protect the puck when engaged .. has put on weight and is maturing, however needs to continue to add core strength to his slight frame .. projected as a skilled, top-6 forward at the next level whose future may be tied into his ability to upgrade his strength .. may play a depth role for the Knights next year, given the team’s deep returning forward core .. once matured, Marner has the ability to be one of the top scorers in the OHL, based on his individual puck skills and high offensive ceiling.