Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – McKeen's Hockey

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – CHASE REID, D, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Brock Otten — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:14:34 +0000

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 27: Switzerland's Kimi Koerbler #89 and USA's Chase Reid #25 battle for the puck during Preliminary Round - Group A action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena on December 27, 2025 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

Chase Reid

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: D, Shoots: R

H/W: 6-Foot-2, 188 Pounds

Date of Birth: 2007-12-30

What an interesting career arc it’s been for Reid so far in such a short amount of time. Last year, Reid was hit with a couple of wake-up calls; slaps in the face if you will, as he was cut from both the U.S. Hlinka/Gretzky Cup team and Waterloo of the USHL and pushed to the NAHL. Things were looking somewhat bleak for his NHL prospects, but then the light bulb just seemed to go on. He took the demotion in stride and performed well in the NAHL with Bismarck, then made the difficult decision to sign with the Soo Greyhounds, heading North of the border in December. Reid’s impact was felt immediately with 26 points in his first 21 games.

Fast forward to this year and things have exploded even further for Reid. He finds himself near the top of the league’s defenseman scoring race and on a strong Soo Greyhounds team. He also made the U.S. roster for the World Juniors and played a top four role. Needless to say, Reid has emerged as a serious contender for the top five of this year’s NHL draft because of his immense upside as a puck mover.

Reid is the prototype of the modern-day NHL puck moving defender. He’s got size at 6-foot-2, but is also explosive, skilled, and aggressive. He consistently attacks downhill and loves to play the game at a quick pace, utilizing his ability to blend power and skill to be an impactful transition player. Reid is also an excellent powerplay quarterback thanks to his heavy shot and critical thinking skills with the puck. A true dual threat at the top of the powerplay; Reid can hammer it or dish it. While there are some concerns over his defensive game and wavering physical engagement deep in the defensive zone, he has the frame and mobility to eventually become a quality two-way defender at the pro level, although some patience may need to be exhibited.

Thanks to the new NCAA eligibility rules, patience can truly be exhibited here, allowing Reid to polish his game. He’ll attend Michigan State as early as next season, and the NCAA will prove a great test for him defensively. Then, depending on how his development goes, he can turn pro and his NHL organization can take things from there. In a few years, Reid could easily develop into a Zach Werenski kind of player (or an Eric Desjardins for the older crowd) for his NHL team; a fixture in the top three and on the top powerplay unit.

Skating

From a technical standpoint, Reid is an excellent and proficient skater. He generates significant power in straight lines thanks to long, explosive strides, accelerating to top speed with only a few pushes. His speed is effortless and this allows him to glide, minimizing effort. He’ll then utilize linear crossovers to help him build speed while protecting the puck through coverage in the NZ and OZ. This allows him to be such an impactful transitional attacker. He is very aggressive as a rusher, consistently looking to gain the offensive zone with his rushes, often pushing deep in the OZ. He leads the OHL in entries via stickhandling among OHL defenders with an average of 3.5 per game. Reid is also hyper aggressive without the puck, looking to use his speed to create odd man rushes. He routinely beats opposing backcheckers up ice and earns scoring chances as the third- or fourth-man in.

Reid’s transitional agility is also a strong suit of his skating profile. He switches from forward to backwards stride effortlessly and because he picks up speed quickly, he is often first to dump ins and rarely gets hemmed inside his own end. He also takes great routes to these retrievals, allowing him to clear the zone with his feet, building speed out of turns well. Much like his offensive zone entries stat, Reid leads the OHL in successful breakouts and loose puck recoveries.

If there is a weakness in Reid’s skating ability, it’s his lateral quickness and explosiveness on his edges. Of course, the term weakness is relative because Reid is not poor in this area. However, he’s not as fluid or quick when changing direction as many other high end offensive defenders and powerplay quarterbacks. This does create some limitations for him as he looks to evade pressure at the point. He has to rely on his hands to create space or use his frame to help him protect the puck. To his credit, Reid recognizes this and makes extremely quick decisions with the puck. Occasionally, we’ll see him switch to the mohawk stride to help him work off the point and evade pressure, but it’s something he could utilize more. While creative and confident in transition, Reid is often a little more cautious once inside the zone. He’ll look to get the puck off his stick quickly or use the threat of his shot to help create exploitable lanes. Improving his explosiveness out of cuts and improving his lateral quickness will be key for Reid if he wants to be a topflight NHL powerplay quarterback.

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A good example of Reid’s explosive forward stride. He builds speed quickly and generates power through linear crossovers, which allows him to protect the puck and blow past a Flint defender.

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Another example of Reid’s linear power and quickness as he carves up the neutral zone and breaks in for a chance.

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Reid’s impact on the transition game can be profound. He secures the puck in his own end and then finishes the play off the other way, utilizing the mohawk stride to open up a shooting lane while getting to the net.

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As discussed, if there is a criticism of Reid’s skating it’s that he’s not incredibly dynamic on his edges or explosive laterally. A lot of his offense is generated in transition or from his ability to find open space to shoot. This will need to be a developmental focal point for him if he wants to be a top flight NHL powerplay quarterback.

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While Reid’s explosiveness on his edges could use work, his transitional mobility is quite good. This allows him to recover quickly from offense to defense and it makes him difficult to beat to retrievals. This is a great example.

GRADE: 55

Shot

This is one of the hallmarks of Reid’s game. He is a multi-faceted goal scorer from the back end and his high goal totals the last few seasons are no fluke. Reid has an excellent wrist shot and a lightning quick release. He can beat goaltenders clean because of the velocity/accuracy of it. Due to his wrist shot being such a weapon, he consistently uses the threat of it as a way to open up lanes through fakes and delays. He’ll fake his wrister to get shot blockers to commit or freeze, then work deeper in the offensive zone, or use toe drags to create a better shooting lane. Reid also one times pucks cleanly and is a major weapon from the left flank or the point of the powerplay because of this. Lastly, Reid has terrific hands for shooting in tight; he’s comfortable driving the net and finishing on either his backhand or forehand. This is a player who has a chance to be one of the higher goal scoring defenders in the NHL.

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Reid is so good at using shot fakes to help him freeze defenders, then he can exploit that by shooting, passing, or driving to help open up lanes further. He’s also excellent at getting his shot through traffic. Here we see both.

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The Reid one timer, an effective weapon for him to utilize…especially on the powerplay.

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Reid cuts this play off with a solid pinch and then makes no mistake with the wrister, an equally effective weapon for him.

GRADE: 57.5

Skills

There is absolutely no denying that Reid is one of the draft’s most skilled players, defender or forward. He routinely escapes pressure thanks to the fact that his feet and hands work completely in sync. Even operating at full speed; Reid’s typical breakneck pace, he rarely loses control of the puck and is able to not only gain the offensive zone but create chances by pushing deep into the zone with possession. He routinely turns defenders into pylons. Reid also uses this terrific puck control to help him escape pressure in the defensive zone, keeping the puck on a string to help him create the space necessary to start successful breakouts; he truly is a breakout machine. Although, he does need to trust his ability to escape pressure by making consistently better decisions (more on that in the “smarts” category).

Reid is also a terrific passer. He can thread the needle with stretch passes and rarely has to alter his pace to find seams or open teammates. Part of that has to do with his vision with the puck, but the other part is purely skill related. Reid is also so confident with the puck, comfortable drawing in pressure before passing off, again trusting that his hands and protection habits can help him maintain possession. It’s such an advantage for him to be over 6’2 with his skill level, because he can ward off attackers by keeping the puck out of reach or by shielding it in his hip pocket.

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This sequence on the powerplay gives you some insight into how Reid likes to play and is most effective; at a breakneck pace. He carves up the neutral zone and chips/chases when he identifies that he’s about to be boxed in. The pass into the slot is calculated as he briefly shoulder checks to see if his teammate is crashing the slot. Then he opens himself up as a passing option and is quickly in attack mode again, drawing in pressure before looking back door. You’d never be able to argue complacency in regards to Reid’s play with the puck.

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Reid is so aggressive offensively, always looking for opportunities to create odd man opportunities. This is a great example.

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Exhibit B from the World Juniors.

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Reid makes a smart pinch here to keep the puck and shows off his puck skill, basically playing “keep away” from four Flint defenders before dumping the puck in deep.

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As mentioned, Reid isn’t the most dynamic East/West skater, so he relies a lot on his hands and ability to blend cuts with strong puck protection skill to make plays deep in the offensive zone.

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As stated, so often we talk about a player’s hands not operating at the speed of their feet. Reid’s do and it allows him to play at such a quick pace. He plays through a defender while barely breaking stride.

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Reid is so good at using the threat of his shot to open up lanes to attack. Here he freezes the Kitchener defender and circles the net before finding Jordan Charron for a glorious scoring chance.

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Look at the precision and speed of this stretch pass that leads to a goal. Not a lot of defenders in junior hockey can make that play and thread that needle.

GRADE: 62.5

Smarts

To best break down Reid’s IQ, it is important to separate offensive and defensive responsibilities.

Offensively, Reid is a highly intelligent player. Last year, he struggled at times with turnovers from trying to force plays in the offensive zone or neutral zone. This year, he has really worked to limit those turnovers. Of course, a player like Reid is going to take liberties in the name of creating offense; you’ll need to live with the odd turnover if you want him to be creative. However, he has shown necessary growth in his decision making and is picking his spots better on when to be aggressive offensively. Where further growth is needed is in the defensive zone where he has a tendency to fire pucks into traffic under pressure to try to clear the zone, rather than use his feet, skill, and brain to find a better solution. While Reid’s breakout numbers are outstanding, he also leads the OHL in defensive zone turnovers this year.

Two things truly stand out that are representative of Reid’s excellent critical thinking skill as an offensive player. The first is that despite playing at such a ferocious pace, Reid rarely turns the puck over on the attack. He doesn’t need to alter pace to find passing lanes and has the vision with the puck to make plays at full speed. The second is that Reid is a very dangerous offensive weapon without the puck, consistently finding open space by timing cuts well or by picking spots to activate in transition.

Defensively, Reid’s more of a work in progress. He has an active stick in the defensive zone and can be disruptive to passing lanes. He’s at his best when he’s aggressive defending the neutral zone and able to flip the script quickly, turning defense into offense. Again, he has a penchant for jumping passing lanes in these situations and this has a profoundly positive impact on his team’s transition game. However, in zone coverage he can get a little lost. He can chase the puck and lose positioning, often not from a desire to cheat in the name of offensive creation, but from simply trying to do too much. As a transitional defender, his gap control is inconsistent, and he can be too passive; he needs to be more decisive at times. He has the length and mobility to be an excellent downhill defender, but he needs to fine tune his decision making and make a concerted effort to be aggressive all the time, because that’s when he’s at his best. Can these shortcomings be improved upon? I believe so as Reid gains more experience and is coached further.

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When we talk about good routes and scanning habits for retrievals, this is what we’re talking about. It’s such a subtle play, but these make a huge difference. Reid shoulder checks to ensure that he’s got the forechecker behind him, then he approaches the puck in a position to attack, rather than pinning it along the wall and this allows the Soo to break out cleanly. Reid is often tactical with his breakouts when he has time/space because of this.

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Exhibit B. Reid shoulder checks and knows that he has the far side to escape pressure, so he retrieves the puck and uses this momentum to start the breakout, pushing deep into the offensive zone.

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This is such a great example of Reid’s poise with the puck and quick thinking skill. A great rush, but it’s the end of the play that is impressive as Reid passes back to the point at the perfect time before skating himself into trouble. A lot of young offensive defenders don’t see that play and either have to pivot and dump the puck back in or they turn the puck over.

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A tremendous play from the WJC round robin against Slovakia. Reid secures the dump in and then finds the streaking Teddy Stiga in the slot who helps facilitate the goal. This really shows his vision and scanning habits.

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While Reid’s defensive zone coverage is inconsistent, he does have a solid stick and good anticipation in the defensive end. Here’s an example of that with him bailing out D-partner Callum Croskery.

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Reid can be very aggressive defending the neutral zone and he’s most effective when he makes plays like this. A terrific read to blow this play up and then his shot attempt helps to generate the goal.

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This was a much-discussed play at one of the CHL/NTDP Prospect Challenge games. Was this Daxon Rudolph’s fault? Was it Chase Reid’s? Was it both? The bottom line is that you’ll need to live with the odd turnover and resulting goal from offensively oriented defenders like Reid. Rudolph put him in a terrible position under pressure with his flub, but Reid’s resulting flub is equally to blame.

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When talking about Reid’s head for the game defensively, doubters point to plays like this. Reid just follows the puck and gets himself completely out of position, allowing the Rangers free passage to the net front for the goal. From a defensive perspective, he definitely needs to chase the play less. That, ultimately, comes from a desire to want to earn touches and counter offensively, but there needs to be trust in system structure and in teammates.

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Like many junior defenders, Reid does have a tendency to try to force plays occasionally, or not make quick enough decisions with the puck in his own end when pressured. He’s really learned to trust his feet more and rarely gets hemmed in his own end in the OHL, but at least a few times a game, a play like this occurs where he just doesn’t do enough and a neutral zone turnover occurs. Sam Dickinson had some similar issues and it’s just something defenders need to work out before they hit the pro level. On the flip side, you could argue a neutral zone turnover is better than a defensive zone one, which Reid rarely is guilty of.

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Another example. Too often Reid just opts to try to wildly get pucks out and it ends up as a turnover from his own end. He’s too skilled and too smart for this. He needs to find a way to make more composed plays when he doesn’t see a passing or skating lane.

GRADE: 55

Physicality/Compete

This is the area of Reid’s game that is often pointed to as his largest weakness and with good reason; it’s by far the most inconsistent component of his game.

Mentioned in the previous section, Reid is at his best when he’s aggressive and assertive physically. When he’s defending high and denying clean entries, forcing dump ins by cutting off attackers, he’s extremely effective as a defender. This is because when Reid is on the ice, teams rarely are able to establish possession through the dump and chase. However, because of how active Reid is offensively, he’s often tasked with having to defend as a backchecker, having to pick up checks in coverage quickly while trying to recover positioning. It is then that he starts chasing. What makes this somewhat problematic is that he doesn’t win enough 50/50 battles for the puck, especially below the hash marks. He will often make an initial hit to try to dislodge possession, but he has difficulty pinning to prevent movement through the cycle. If he’s not the first player to the puck, he gets in trouble.

But, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Reid does show some bite to his game. He can bring a physical edge. It’s not consistent, but it’s present. The key for him is to simply get stronger so that he’s not overwhelmed when defending below or near the goal line. That’s where Michigan State will come in handy; less game time and more time in the gym to advance physically. Reid will never be a high-end physical defender, but there’s reason to believe that as he matures physically, he could at least be average in this department.

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As mentioned, Reid is at his best when he defends aggressively, attacking early to deny attackers. This is a great example as he steps up outside the blueline to disrupt a clean entry, even using his body effectively.

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I absolutely love this play by Reid. He’s a competitive player by nature and this is a great example of that. Attack the middle, then completely outwork the Windsor defender to get to the puck to set up the goal.

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When it comes to Reid’s defensive intensity level, these are the kinds of plays people point to as concerning. Here is Reid defending fellow 2026 top prospect Ethan Belchetz one on one and he’s just way too soft on him, allowing him to corral the rebound for the wrap around goal.

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Here’s another play below the hash marks that sees Reid fail to tie up his man, resulting in a goal. He just needs to get stronger along the wall to be more effective at winning those 50/50 battles; to be more effective at pinning and taking away space.

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Conversely, here’s the opposite. A great play physically to separate his man from the puck, then he successfully initiates the breakout that leads to a Greyhounds’ goal.

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A couple of poor defensive plays by Reid from the WJC’s. First from the Slovakia game. In the first clip he’s not aggressive enough defending this attack. He could have negated that chance with an aggressive stick check or stepped up physically, but his passiveness allows the Slovak player way too much time and space. The second clip is more indecisiveness defending a two on one. He bites on the pass way too early and gives up a clear shooting lane. The third clip is against Sweden with the U.S. on the powerplay. Reid initially defends this odd man advantage well, communicating with the backchecker, as he picks up the puck carrier. But he fails to close the gap, again, and a goal is scored.

GRADE: 50

OFP: 55.75

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

Soo speedster Senyshyn providing solid secondary scoring

David Burstyn — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 17:56:25 +0000

Playing in his first full OHL season after getting a brief 4 game call up last year, Zachary Senyshyn has contributed 22 goals on a very deep Sault Ste. Marie team. Displaying finishing ability to go with his elite-level speed while providing some good secondary scoring to the division leading Greyhounds. The OHL Rookie of the Month for December (10-6-7-13), cooled somewhat in January (12-2-4-6), before heating up in February with three multiple goal games, two game winners while firing nine goals in ten games (10-9-2-11). He is currently tied for second in rookie scoring.

The Hounds were drawn to his speed when drafting him 51^st overall in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, a skill he has worked hard to develop training with Ottawa Senators skating coach Mark Powers. David Burstyn provides a scouting report on Senyshyn:

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Zachary Senyshyn (2015), RW, Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds

Superb skating ability immediately stands out as he is explosive with flawless technique and mechanics .. operates well in a straight line and diagonally but cannot seem to maintain his pace when crossing over, twisting and/or turning .. stick handling repertoire is rather limited as he does not have many moves and is his most effective when he charges the net with reckless abandon .. possesses ok hands but struggles at times to handle passes as the puck bounces right off his blade .. needs to simplify his game with the puck with a tendency to over handle it .. is effective when others get him the puck allowing him to make nice touch passes .. boasts an absolutely lethal shot – literally explodes off his stick leaving goalies no time to react .. strong body and difficult to derail once he gets momentum .. owns a decent defensive disposition; angles off guys, stick checks and is good in transition in terms of positional play, still needs to dial in and focus on not losing his man .. Senyshyn biggest issue is his lack of shift-to-shift consistency .. he can dominate some shifts and flat out disappear for others .. understanding that he can be a difference maker and that each shift will determine his draft stock.

Blake Speers: Hometown Hound shines on powerhouse Soo

David Burstyn — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:41:29 +0000

Blake Speers was selected first by his hometown Soo Greyhounds in the first round (11^th overall) of the 2013 OHL draft from the Soo Thunder minor midgets. As a slightly-built rookie he made an impression on a strong Greyhound team finishing fifth in rookie scoring and being one of the six finalists for rookie of the year.

This year the Hounds lead their division on a powerhouse squad boasting Sergey Tolchinsky, Anthony DeAngelo, Justin Bailey, Jared McCann, Darnell Nurse and Nick Richie. Speers sits in fifth place in team scoring with over a point a game production (46-21-31-52) earning top six minutes. A late injury addition to the CHL Top Prospects game despite posting 16 points in 10 December games including 11 goals (10-11-5-16). Ranked 38^th on McKeen’s January Draft rankings he is an exciting talent, with a strong work ethic whose size holds back a potential first round selection.

Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

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Blake Speers (2015), W/C, Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds

Highly skilled centre and winger who is leaned on heavily by the Hounds in most situations .. does everything well offensively making plays at high rates of speed, executing passes with ease and owns a better than average shot .. incredibly quick and agile feet allow him to skate in all directions while making plays; constantly in motion with pro-calibre hand/eye coordination to settle pucks down and make plays .. dangerous with the puck due to his quick speed off the mark – has a second gear and can burst into open ice often beating a defender to a loose puck battle .. crouches down to get even lower to the ice and protect the puck better .. shows good ability coming off the wing and making plays on the half boards; circles back and has great puck control .. slides passes down low and then heads straight for the slot for a return pass .. plays with good intensity coming back; defensive game continues to grow under Hounds coaching staff .. drafted as a centre; Speers usually plays the left side, however, he takes a majority of the draws for possession .. boasts great creativity and plays an up-tempo game – similar in skill to Jiri Hudler.

Kats Krunch: CHL 3-in-3 Sets

Gus Katsaros — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 16:45:47 +0000

I won’t go into too much detail here, except to just present these charts as data for each individual league. I’ve gone into detail about both the CHL and AHL in the past.

I should have posted these way back when the season started.

Outside of the NHL, where three games in four nights, or four games in six games, or some kind of combination along those lines create the extent of games on consecutive nights, the AHL and CHL leagues schedule three games on three consecutive nights.

In some cases, it’s not even a full 24 hours between that second game and third game. The second game often occurs on a Saturday, with an occasional game in the afternoon. This is more prevalent at the CHL level rather than the professional leagues, however, it’s been known to happen.

For the purposes here, I’m going to explain what the numbers represent and let the data itself paint a picture.

OHL

I’ll use the OHL as an example.

Each table contains the number of 3-in-3 sets, and then all the sets where games are exclusively on the road.

The columns Gm1 through to Gm3 signify the amount of games the listed team plays against an opponent that is Game 1, 2 or 3 of a 3-in-3 set.

Once again, The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds lead the Ontario Hockey League with 14 games against an opponent playing Game 3 of a 3-in-3 set.

Last season, The ‘Hounds led the OHL with 16 games versus a team in a Game 3, posting a sterling record of 15-0-1, earning 31 points as a result.

The Sault also benefits from having one 3-in-3 set all season, that occurring in early February.

Before going through all leagues tables, I put together a .PDF doc that breaks down the entire OHL schedule and all teams three games sets. Just follow the link here:

OHL pdf Schedules 2014-15

I’ve also calculated the amount of rested versus tired sets for each team, taken directly from the logic I’ve used at the NHL level.

A Tired team is one playing the second game on consecutive nights.

A Rested team has not played the previous night but facing a Tired team as per definition above.

Since the CHL can include three games on consecutive nights, it’s possible that a team could be ‘tired’ in Game 2 and 3 of a 3-in-3 game set.

In the OHL, Mississauga leads with 18 rested games, while Sarnia and North Bay lead with 17 as a tired team.

The chart is listed below.

WHL

Due to the distance between member clubs, there are far less 3-in-3 sets than the more clumped together OHL. Western Hockey league teams average three (3) sets, however, unlike every other CHL sister league, there are teams that don’t ever play one set.

Brandon, Calgary, Red Deer and Victoria do not play any 3-in-3 sets. There’s also more uniformity in the amount of games played versus an opponent in Games 1, 2 or 3 in a 3-in-3 set, aside from Swift Current that only has two games versus a team playing in Game 3 of a 3-in-3 set.

Lethbridge is the leader in Rested games while Saskatoon leads the WHL with the most games as a Tired team.

QMJHL

Quebec franchises have the lowest variance among member clubs, with most playing three sets with the exception of Rimouski, Moncton and CapeBreton.

Blainville-Boisbriand leads with seven games against a team playing Game 3’s – over double the league average.

Drummondville doubles the average with six (6), while sharing the lead with a dozen (12) games as a rested team with Charlottetown, while also leading the QMJHL with 11 games as a tired club, sharing the lead with Quebec.

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OHL: Greyhounds Draft Eligibles – Yes We McCann

David Burstyn — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 05:41:06 +0000

McKeen's Hockey Director of Scouting, David Burstyn chimes in with notes on recent viewings with the Soo Greyhounds draft eligibles.

The Greyhounds after rattling off a 16-2-2 record are coming off a two-game skid at the time of this writing, a shutout loss to the surging Erie Otters and a 6-3 decision to the .

Jared McCann (2014), C

2013, Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Captured a gold medal at this year’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial .. started the season with an explosive four goal effort in the opening game .. missed a handful (2) of games due to an ankle sprain .. first line centre plays key minutes and sees a regular shift on top unit PP .. highly skilled inside offensive zone where his vision and shot can change the complexion of the game .. rapid fire release and does a great job of getting into open areas to score .. has good timing with both shot and passes inside the zone as he is highly cerebral and can make a multitude of plays due to his creative nature and savvy puck handling skills .. quick in transition as he can explode up ice if he sees an opening or receives a stretch pass .. quick and shifty, skating shows strong acceleration and lateral ability .. always ready in terms of stick preparation to accept a pass or for a one-timer .. strong appetite for the puck and extremely patient in the offensive zone .. has learned to play with more self preservation and doesn’t hurl his body at all opponents; picks and chooses his spots better this season .. solid defensive efforts, comes back with regularity and makes his presence known .. can come up big when he needs too but is a bit of a streaky scorer as he has 11 goals to date (Nov. 18) however seven have come in two games .. on pace to shatter career highs set in rookie season as he has over a point a game.

Michael Bunting (2014), RW

Won a GTHL Midget Championship as a member of the Don Mills Flyers .. by passed in his original OHL draft, he was selected in the ninth round the following year (160^th overall/2013) .. skates a regular shift on the first unit and top PP as he has sharp offensive instincts; capable of playing with top line mates and contributing to the success of the line with slick passing skills and uncanny vision .. a healthy skater that is neither slow nor fast, his awareness and anticipation keep him involved in the play .. skating is deceptive as he does not expend unnecessary energy and conserves his energy the length of the shift to make subtle contributions .. edges need some work as does his first step .. works hard to get back into the play defensively and applies an honest effort .. not physical but he will compete, needs to add weight to his frame – needs another 10-18 pounds to be more effective .. could stand to move his feet more in offensive situations once he is activated he becomes more dangerous to defend .. has shown that he belongs as his audition on the top line has been a fruitful one as he is amongst the league leaders in points for first year player’s a third of the way through the season.

Kyle Jenkins (2014), D

Had a strong season with the Oakville Blades (OPHL) as a 16 year old scoring the most goals as a rookie defenseman (9) and finishing second amongst first year defenders only to team mate Stefan Leblanc (Sudbury) .. plays a very calculated two-way game as he is very unassuming yet flashes skill .. skating has an elusive quality to it as he can side step and shimmy past players .. not explosive but possesses good lower body agility .. plays a mature game with the puck as his passes can be executed both short and long term with success .. patient and waits for seems to open up before forcing a play .. alert and aware of his options and can look off passes .. not physical but doesn’t get beaten too often defensively due to staunch positioning and an active stick .. needs to add more strength to contain players down low for longer periods of time .. has shown the ability to produce numbers as he has a quiet confidence with the puck and has performed admirably considering he is a first year player.

Kevin Spinozzi (2014), D

Played only a third of last season due to a handful of injuries, a lengthy suspension and missing games as a healthy scratch .. returns this season to play a constant shift on the third pairing but has become a favourite for Coach Keefe on the PK .. a fearless shot blocker and a determined player who (at times) need to be reeled in on account of him wanting to do too much defensively .. more of a defensive defenseman but can log the puck up ice and make a play with the puck .. needs to push the pace more with the puck in his possession as he can hold onto it too long .. skating is ok but he has awkward mechanics and does not get the most out of his stride .. has good size and a physical dimension but many facets of his game need work.

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OHL: Oshawa Generals – King of the Cassels

Gus Katsaros — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 21:02:52 +0000

The Oshawa Generals skated to a 5-4 shootout victory over the visiting Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on a late Sunday game, extending their October record to 7-1 en route to the Eastern Conference lead, adding to the six-points separating them from second ranked Niagara IceDogs (5-4-1).

The Generals have yet to dress in a 3-games-in-3-nights set during the month of October – the first set is over the weekend of October 25 through to October 27 – the first real set of scheduling adversity.

In a game heavily scouted – and with draft-eligible Michael Dal Colle and Greyhounds Sergey Tolchinsky stealing some of the scoring spotlight, the two featured players below played a significant part in the Generals pulling ahead early in the third period, combining for the 4-3 go-ahead goal before the Greyhounds Tyler Gaudet tied it and sending it to overtime.

Scott Laughton was on the ice for three of four Oshawa goals while Cole Cassels was on the ice for the last two Oshawa goals (recording his two assists on both goals).

Cassels was the lone forward lined up when the Greyhounds scored their first goal of the night, otherwise, neither player was on the ice for any other Sault Ste. Marie goals against.

Cole Cassels, C

Selected in the 3rd round (85th overall) by the Vancouver Canucks, the Oshawa Generals pivot extended his point streak to a personal best five games (5-2-6-8) with two assists .. demonstrated an elevated commitment to be a consistent net presence without the puck – even took a puck to the outside of the left knee as a result during a late first period powerplay and though visibly shaken stayed on the ice and didn’t miss a shift afterwards .. exhibited keen vision and distribution ability, but stick handling and puck skills didn’t match up .. didn't really stickhandle with the puck much, rather 'pushed' it along in front of him before setting up for plays .. showed a strong sense for the amount of manoeuvrable space to find an edge, such as dumping the puck into the zone when seeing little room or options to make a move at the blueline for controlled entry, but lots of space to create a race for the puck behind the defenseman .. strong penalty killing instincts within spatial and intellectual terms – thinks and anticipates the play accentuated with a burgeoning active stick .. start up and first few steps are still sluggish and could be a weak spot .. lots of character and resilience after the puck to the knee while hurting his hand in a scrum later in the game .. buzzes around the goal and in close – a characteristic conducive to scoring success .. works around the boards and will battle for pucks both with sticks and using his body to force turnovers, but stayed relatively close to the net in this game, using touch around the goal to make plays whether it's a quick shot or a playmaking opportunity .. some work required around sluggish feet, but is developing more of the offensive instincts he was showing only in spurts playing behind Scott Laughton (see below) and Boone Jenner (graduated to Columbus – NHL).

Scott Laughton, C

Philadelphia 1st round selection in 2012 (20th overall), known more as a playmaker, capped off the weekend flaunting his goal scoring ability, scoring five goals and doubling his season totals to 10 (8-10-7-17) .. scored his third career OHL hat trick – has recorded one in each of the previous two seasons .. one of the final cuts from the Flyers and returned back to junior after being scratched in the first game of the NHL season and immediately named Player of the Week ending October 6th with a nine-point effort (3-3-6-9) .. 200 foot player showed his breadth of instincts at both ends of the ice, scoring twice where he jumped into the play, recognizing free lanes and dashing into the openings and creating scoring chances – on some great distribution by Cole Cassels .. enthusiastically backchecks and consistently demonstrates positional awareness in the defensive zone .. generally lined up as the high forward in the offensive zone, with short bursts to the net to support puck presence down low .. makes good and proper defensive decisions, rarely caught behind the play .. solid start up with a good separation gear only requiring a few quick steps .. physical and aggressive – sometimes to a fault where overly aggressive nature takes him out of position .. still, he’s already fairly strong and still filling out .. took his man into the boards hard at the end of a long shift – stamina and last ditch spikes in energy before heading to the bench, which could have repercussions if the puck is going the other way .. first goal was a clear demonstration of sensing when to jump into holes, skating shorthanded into open ice while teammate Cassels won a puck battle along the right side boards .. strong moves in close to get the goaltender to open up a hole and he slipped it through .. defensively conscience and seems to start his offense through solid support positions .. has the make up of a checking center with scoring touch at the professional level, while bringing sandpaper and grit to the lineup .. built to be a Flyer.

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OHL: SSM Greyhounds- Hellooooo Nurse!

Gus Katsaros — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 05:22:30 +0000

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds began a three game road trip over the weekend with a 1-0 win over the Barrie Colts before a wild goals bonanza in a 9-7 win over the Peterborough Petes and then a 5-4 shootout loss to the Generals. The loss halted their win streak at four games.

Sergey Tolchinsky, the first featured player here took the scoring lead over the weekend, surpassing 2014 draft-eligible, Jared McCann. Darnell Nurse had one point in each of the weekend games and extending a point streak to four (4-0-5-5), recording a point in all but two games in '13-14.

Sergey Tolchinsky, RW

Slick undersized winger put on a display of skill and tenacity, while overcoming obstacles related to his diminutive frame .. scored twice on the tail end of two-game offensive explosion - scored twice (2-3-5) in a 9-7 fire wagon affair to finish the weekend with four goals and seven points (2-4-3-7) and take over team lead in scoring, while pushing his point streak to seven games (7-6-6-12) .. excellent stick prep in every zone makes himself available as passing option .. taken out heavily by Generals Josh Brown earning a 5 minute major and a game misconduct .. victim of another knockdown from behind on the major PP to draw another penalty and give the Greyhounds a full two-minutes, 5-3 man advantage .. consistently exhibited quick hands, heads up vision and a work ethic without the puck, with extra zip in the offensive zone .. set up off to the right side of the net and rewarded with a small opening to bang in a rebound for his first of the game .. exploits smallish stature to dart in and out of traffic, looking for loose pucks and openings .. quickly creates separation and opens lanes for shooting .. spunky battler though, doesn't shy away from traffic, with skill at the end of the blade, corralling loose pucks and settle them down before making skilled plays – impressive at high speeds .. second goal arose off such a circumstance with the puck hidden in legs just inside the Generals blueline he swooped in, picked out the puck, settled it down and fired it into the net with a quick release .. the resilience to the physicality is astounding, being overpowered by bigger and stronger players, bouncing back every time .. self preservation is still somewhat of an issue moving forward as he leaves the OHL and competes against bigger, stronger faster players in the professional leagues .. impressive showing for undrafted Carolina Hurricanes free agent signing.

Darnell Nurse, D

Oilers first round selection in 2013 (7th overall) logged a significant amount of ice time, including as Greyhounds powerplay QB’s during a penalty-filled first period .. Oshawa was dinged for a five minute major and then a further minor during the major penalty, extending Nurse’s time on ice for almost the entire 5-3 advantage .. tall and lanky, and still bulking up .. imposing height requires the use of a fairly long stick adding length to an already long reach .. the combination reach/stick length allows for pokes in one-on-one situations, taking passing lanes away and shortening the forward gap if he’s a step slower than onrushing forward .. edgy and chippiness apparent in his game, but isn’t overly physical, picking spots, sacrificing some physical aggression to positional awareness .. skates on a wide base, knees jutted out sometimes, but skating has improved, adding length and harder pushes in start up .. plays a structured game under pressure and can improvise offensively .. exhibits skill and imagination to contribute on the blueline .. gaps are tight and could be aggressive should the opportunity arise .. wide skating base provides added benefit in that stick checks bounce off while stickhandling, especially through traffic .. lower body strength and agility apparent in quick stops and starts from a forward movement, to a dead stop and then backwards .. made a long stretch pass in the third period from deep in his zone, anticipating Tyler Ganley dashing across the neutral zone (he was going for a line change, but dashing through an opening) .. Nurse made the pass attempt, featuring a good outlet passing ability and anticipation to place the puck catching the skater in momentum, despite the play breaking down .. blueline workhorse.

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2013 Draft Guide Preview: Darnell Nurse

McKeen's Staff — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:45:57 +0000

Darnell Nurse can hold a lot of weight on his shoulders.

The sophomore rearguard was tested throughout the season and passed with flying colours. The Greyhounds lost Ryan Sproul and Colin Miller to injuries during the season, and Nurse rose to the challenge with increased minutes and increased responsibility.

The hulking, six-foot-three, 190 pound defenceman showed tremendous poise and adaptability in all situations. He also made huge strides in terms of his offensive game, producing 41 points in 68 games after a 10 point rookie season.

Nurse emerged as one of the most promising defenders in the draft and is now a likely top-10 pick. Given how well he’s handled every situation to this point, it’s smart money betting on the Greyhounds’ star becoming a difference-maker at the NHL level.

2013 Draft Guide Profile:

Darnell Nurse (D, 2013), Sault Ste. Marie

Blossomed into an offensive presence during a breakout second OHL season - quadrupling his totals from his rookie year .. ranked second in scoring to Jordan Subban among 1995-born, draft eligible OHL rearguards .. stepped up and showcased a strong defensive game with key injuries to the Soo’s top pairing of Ryan Sproul and Colin Miller .. initially emerged at last year’s U18 Worlds - and won his first international gold medal with Team Canada at last summer’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial .. would have captained this year’s U18 World Junior entry but missed out due to a ruptured finger tendon .. also flourished in the classroom and was awarded the Bobby Smith Trophy as OHL Scholastic Player of the Year .. SCOUTING REPORT .. large, mobile rearguard - highly-competitive with excellent athleticism .. boasts pedigree with father Richard a former Canadian Football League star wide receiver, and uncle Donovan McNabb a decorated National Football League all-star quarterback .. a capable skater propelled by a crisp, fluid stride .. misses breakaway top-end speed - but compensates with excellent lateral agility and pivoting abilities .. effortless crossovers allow him to stay in the play - aided by an expansive wingspan .. tends to get too busy defending down low at times and could exhibit more patience in allowing the play to come to him .. excels at stick-checks and getting his body low to the ground in blocking lanes .. handles the puck well and is a decent passer, albeit can be erratic at times .. passes could be more on the tape .. steadily showed more inclination to rush the puck - though his attacks are not always calculated .. makes peculiar decisions at times, forcing passes into coverage or trying to go solo through an entire team .. ultimately, the strength of his game lies more on the defensive side as he projects as a stout shutdown guy who can match up against top lines.

Greyhounds stay local, OHL picks 11-15

Sean Lafortune — Sat, 04 May 2013 19:07:43 +0000

In the third installment of the OHL’s first-round, scouting reports highlight the players drafted with picks 11 through 15.

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds didn’t look far for their first pick, taking local product and Soo Thunder forward Blake Speers with the 11^th pick in the draft. Speers brings elite playmaking skills and vision to a team that may need an injection of offence after losing top scorer Nick Cousins to graduation.

The Guelph Storm addressed a weakness by drafting smooth-skating defenceman Garrett McFadden in the first-round. The Storm stand to lose three veterans on their back line, which should give McFadden an opportunity to hone his craft while playing big minutes.

Michael Davies followed to the Kitchener Rangers with the 13^th pick overall. Davies is a pure scorer with a wide range of shooting techniques that should keep goalies guessing.

The Oshawa Generals went with the assertive and versatile Mitchell Vande Sompel with the next pick. Vande Sompel is a poised defender with character and a high offensive ceiling.

With some key graduations to forwards Mark Scheifele and Anthony Camara anticipated this summer, the Barrie Colts tapped centre Matthew Kreis with the 15^th pick. Kreis earns top marks for his poise and willingness to make an impact, but may need to pick his spots better as he moves to the next level.

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Blake Speers (C, 2015), Soo Thunder – 5'9" – 150 pounds – January 2, 1997

Drafted 11^th overall by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Photo by Paul Kidd

Speers is a highly-intelligent forward who was named to the Allstate All Canadians camp in July, designated as one of the top 42 players in the country in the ’97-born age group .. playing with the Soo Thunder, a travel team that will participate in key tournaments throughout the season, a first for the area .. an undersized, finesse forward with tremendous poise and playmaking vision .. remains an elite puck-distributor with a keen sense of his surroundings .. plays with a high tempo level in possession, will force defenders to back off with his high speed and willingness to travel into the dirty areas of the ice to either distribute the puck or unleash a tricky wrist-shot .. smooth, efficient skater with dynamic pickup speed and exceptional lateral mobility .. exhibits boundless amounts of energy and impressive stamina for a smaller-bodied player, however does wear down when matched up against bigger, stronger defenders .. needs to improve his play away from the puck in his own zone .. doesn’t do enough defensively at times due to a lack of size, reach and physical jam .. can over-skate the puck at times .. bulking up his thin frame will be a key, allowing him to better handle physical battles .. is expected to be top-9 forward with the Greyhounds, playing in a role that will allow him to adjust to the speed of the OHL while working on his strength and aggression levels.

Garrett McFadden (D, 2015), Grey-Bruce Highlanders – 5'10" – 171 pounds – August 21, 1997

Drafted 12^th overall by the Guelph Storm

Smooth and strong on his edges .. reaches an elite top speed with just a few powerful strides .. quick in recovery, especially closing gaps and defending on the rush .. excels in the transitional game, displaying good skill with an ability to make some crisp outlet passes .. a slippery player in open ice, as he flies by defenders with uncommon ease .. shows sharp instincts as to when and how to join the attack .. makes smart outlets and distributes the puck sensibly .. walks the line well and opens up shooting lanes .. has a knack for getting his shots through on the power-play, however he needs to trust his shot more and use it to generate offence .. not afraid to initiate or receive body contact .. stays engaged physically by proactively taking the body, exploiting his good upper-body strength .. needs to add structure to his defensive game and not play a run-and-gun style every shift .. over-pursues in the defensive zone and can be guilty of following the puck in the defensive zone .. he lacks poise in his own zone and can take poor angles when defending .. needs to mature and learn to pick his spots better .. with the loss of Andrey Pedan, Brock Beukeboom and Saverio Posa, McFadden should be expected to play a key role on a maturing Guelph Storm team .. could be an impact player on the power-play immediately.

Michael Davies (LW, 2015), Southern Tier Admirals – 6'1" – 195 pounds – February 5, 1997

Drafted 13^th overall by the Kitchener Rangers

Davies is a high skill forward who was one of the most talented players from the SCTA this season .. smart and slippery in one-on-one situations, as he can disguise his intentions and protect the puck well .. he possesses soft hands in-tight which power his excellent puck skills, as he has a knack for creating space and finding open passing lanes .. pure scorer has the ability to naturally finish off plays .. utilizes his deceptive, powerful snap-shot to fool goaltenders in the offensive zone .. shot release is tricky .. a clever puck-distributor with strong vision .. does play with an edge, however it’s inconsistent .. will bravely engage at times, while other times look passive .. a conscientious worker, however he does have room to grow with his defensive zone coverage .. can struggle at times with keeping his feet active in defensive situations .. has suffered from a case of mono in the first half, which led to issues with his production and conditioning .. will have to continue to develop his footwork while adding depth and length to his skating stride .. will fill a top-9 role within a rebuilding Rangers forward core, working his way into a more prime offensive role as the season moves forward .. could see initial power-play time, if he adjusts to the league quickly.

Mitchell Vande Sompel (D, 2015), London Jr. Knights – 5'10" – 171 pounds – February 11, 1997

Drafted 14^th overall by the Oshawa Generals

Undersized defender who is competitive and tough .. stride is compact and explosive, edges slash into the ice, generating a quick startup burst and terrific turning speed .. he times open-ice hits well .. willing to engage to separate the man from the puck .. assertive offensively .. willing to take charge and get the puck into the offensive zone .. gains the line effectively, utilizing his excellent one-on-one elusiveness and soft in-tight hands to move through the neutral one .. good passer and flashy puck-carrier .. packs a sizzling slap-shot and one-timer .. proficient at walking the line to alter shooting lanes .. poised and creative running the power-play .. gradually building better structure and one-on-one technique .. tends to over-pursue and loses focus .. a risk-taker who continues to learn to be more selective and adapt better strategies both with and without the puck .. upgrades in his body mass and core strength will aid him in puck battles .. the captain of the London Jr. Knights Gold, a player who brings a high complete level .. can play both forward and defence, however is best suited as a defender at the OHL level .. may struggle initially in five-on-five situations, however has the ability to be an impact defender on the power-play initially .. at maturity, Vande Sompel has the ability to be an offensive, puck-moving defender who can generate offense every time he steps on the ice.

Matthew Kreis (C, 2015), Halton Hurricanes – 5'10" – 155 pounds – August 1, 1997

Drafted 15^th overall by the Barrie Colts

Kreis is a high-compete forward who played the season with Halton after representing the Vaughan Kings at the 2012 All Ontario Bantam Championship .. light and smooth on his feet with exceptional lateral quickness and dexterity .. takes aggressive edges and is effective at driving off and propelling himself forward .. quick and agile, makes tight cuts and can spin on a dime .. plays a speedy, up-tempo style with a good determination level .. anticipates the game well, guided by astute hockey sense .. poised and skilled in possession, can finish with a tricky wrist-shot or snap-shot that features a tricky release .. can get caught in possession and can be guilty of trying to do too much .. gets neutralized in traffic by stronger defenders, which forces him to take less direct routes to the net .. doesn’t lack courage, however still gets manhandled by opponents, specifically in puck battles .. possesses inconsistent aggression and intensity in the defensive zone .. he must dedicate himself to bulking up a lean body and getting stronger on the puck .. will slot into the Colts’ top-9 forward core initially, possibly playing a penalty kill role while adjusting to the speed and pace of the game .. projects as a top-6 forward with leadership abilities.