Evan Cormier – Saginaw Spirit – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 205 pounds

Date of birth: November 6, 1997. Bowmanville, Ontario

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

OHL Draft: Round 5, 85th overall, 2013 Priority Selection (North Bay Battalion)

For the first time in recent years, we may have a battle for the top goaltender to come out of the Ontario Hockey League at the 2016 National Hockey League Draft. Since there are a couple of Canadian goaltenders in the battle, can we finally ask the question: Is the Canadian Hockey League ban on drafting European goaltenders in the Import Draft paying off? That answer is yet to come.

Evan Cormier played Minor Midget hockey for the Clarington Toros where he posted 2.40 goals against average and .899 save percentage during the 2012-2013 season.  That led to the North Bay Battalion choosing him in the 5th round of the 2013 Priority Selection.

Cormier, Evan (2)
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit – Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Cormier moved on to the North Bay Trappers of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2013-2014 season. He appeared in 34 games and finished with 3.60 goals against average and .911 save percentage. Cormier got a brief 3 game stint with the Battalion that season with all three of his appearances coming in relief. He posted 0.72 goals against average and .967 save percentage. He stayed with the team through the playoffs but did not make an appearance.

Cormier began last season with the Battalion, but 8 games into the campaign he was traded to the Spirit along with 4 draft picks and 2 conditional picks for Nick Moutrey. He immediately became the team’s number one goaltender and started all 4 of the Spirits playoff games.

In April, Cormier represented Canada at the WJC Under18 where he started in two games. He came in for relief of Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw –WHL) in a third game against the United States. A 7-2 American win put Canada in the bronze medal game against Switzerland – a game they won.

At 6’3”, Cormier has good size. His post to post movement is above average. While he’s prone to giving up rebounds, he’s able to control them and direct them out of harm’s way. He challenges shooters very well, finds pucks through traffic and is strong in tight. Cormier is very good in shootouts and one on one. He has an excellent glove hand and very quick reflexes. He plays calm and cool in his net, and while he can let in a bad goal once in a while he rebounds well and doesn’t allow it to faze him. The problem is, those bad goals are coming to frequently right now.

Finding his consistency is Cormier’s challenge. He has the right frame of mind, the attitude and the willingness to work at improving and you could never fault him for having a bad work ethic.

Cormier made NHL Central Scouting’s list of players to watch as a B prospect – a second or third round pick.

Will Bitten – Flint Firebirds – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  5’10”

Weight: 167 pounds

Date of birth: July 10, 1998. Gloucester, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 7th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Bitten comes from a sports family. His parents were both Olympians with dad having competed in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics while mom competed in those same Olympics as well as 1996 in Atlanta. Both competed in Badminton. His cousin Sebastien Piche has played in the QMJHL, AHL, and ECHL and is currently playing in Austria.

Bitten captained his Minor Midget AAA Ottawa Jr 67’s in 2013-14 and in his 29 games scored 36 goals while adding 42 assists. He added 5 more goals and 9 assists while appearing in 11 playoff games. He went on to lead the OHL Cup in scoring with 5 goals and 5 assists in 6 games. He was also named the Ontario East Minor hockey player of the year.

Internationally, Bitten won a gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial in August while contributing a goal and an assist in 4 games. In 2014 he played for Team Red at the World Hockey Challenge U-17 and in 5 games scored twice while adding 3 assists.

He also appeared for Team OHL earlier this week in the CHL Super Series versus Russia in the precursor to Team Canada selection for the World Junior Championships. While he didn’t put up any points, Bitten didn’t look out of place showcasing his speed while being physical and getting under the skin of the Russians.

Team OHL defeated the Russian Selects 2-1 in Windsor, ON on Monday November 16, 2015. Photo by Terry Wilson - CHL Images.
Will Bitten, Team OHL, CHL Super Series. Photo by Terry Wilson/CHL Images

Bitten made his OHL debut last season with the Plymouth Whalers (now the Flint Firebirds). He finished 14th in rookie scoring with 15 goals and 16 assists. He’s well on his way to surpassing those totals with 10 goals and 17 assists in just 19 games to date.

Bitten is an excellent skater who possesses high end breakaway and top speed and can keep control of the puck and make plays at that speed. He is elusive and can sneak away undetected putting himself in scoring position while making himself open to receive a teammate’s set up.

Bitten plays with an ultra high compete level and is surprisingly physical despite his size. His skating allows him to get in on the forecheck and he is relentless in battles for pucks once he gets on top of defenders. He has the ability to go end to end and bring fans to their feet. You will be hard pressed to find a player who possesses a higher work ethic than Bitten.

Bitten is also a dynamic one on one player. With his speed and puck handling abilities, he can often make defenders look like they are standing still.

Bitten made NHL Central Scouting’s list of players to watch as a B prospect – which places him in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Olli Juolevi – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’2”

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: May 5, 1998. Helsinki, Finland

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft:  Round 1, 45th overall, CHL Import Draft.

Prior to arriving in North America, Juolevi played Junior A hockey for Jokerit U-20 in Finland’s SM-liiga Jr A.  He appeared in 44 games and notched 6 goals while adding 26 assists. He was voted the league’s top defenseman and was named the league’s top rookie. Surprisingly, or not, he appeared in 11 games for Jokerit the previous season as a 15 year old and contributed a goal and 3 assists.

Internationally, Juolevi has played for Finland’s under-16 and under-17 junior squads and has a combined total of 5 goals and 10 assists in 30 games. He also played for Finland at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and in 4 games had an assist.

Olli Juolevi of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Olli Juolevi of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

When you hear Juolevi’s name it is often compared to fellow countryman and former London Knights’ defender Olli Maatta. While there are similarities to their game, I would contend that Juolevi’s ceiling is higher than the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first round draft pick (22nd overall) from 2012.

Juolevi has good size with skating at an elite level. He’s a well rounded two way defenseman whose only weaknesses can be overcome simply by gaining more experience on North American ice. He has tremendous vision, and learning to make intelligent puck decisions as he gains experience. Early in the season, he would periodically make some bad decisions at the offensive blue line, but he has overcome that and learned to pick his spots.

Juolevi has a good shot from the point and is usually on target. He has a knack for getting it through traffic and uses a variety of shots, depending on the situation in front of him. His ability to quarterback the powerplay is excellent. His ability to make tape to tape passes even through coverage is bordering on elite.

Perhaps the biggest surprise may be Juolevi’s ability to make a stretch pass. Given his excellent vision and passing ability it shouldn’t be a shocker, but periodically he stretches the ice with a pass that leaves you scratching your head wondering how he was even able to get the puck through. He has the ability to skate the puck out of danger and I would like to see him use that ability more often.

While not a big hitter, Juolevi uses his size to separate the opposition from the puck. His skating allows him to close gaps quickly and he has a very active stick. He’ll battle along the boards for pucks and uses his hockey smarts along with his size to win battles. Shying away from physicality is not part of his game.

Juolevi is averaging 22:57 of even strength time on ice. He plays in every situation and with his powerplay and penalty killing time is at 30 plus minutes of time on ice per game. His 3 goals on 38 shots to date have him at an 8% shooting percentage.

Two characteristics you’ll find attached to Juolevi the most often are poise and calm. And he has those in abundance.

Otters’ Devin Williams named Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that goaltender Devin Williams of the Erie Otters is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 15 after posting a 4-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.74 and save percentage of .938.

Williams made 91 saves in four games backstopping the Otters to four-straight wins climbing into a first place tie in the Midwest Division standings with 35 points and a record of 17-2-1-0.  Williams is the third goaltender to earn the weekly honour so far this season and the third Otter to be recognized following last week’s winner Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat.  On Tuesday night he made 24 saves as part of a 5-2 win over the Mississauga Steelheads, then entered Friday’s game against the Oshawa Generals midway through the second period in relief stopping nine shots to help fuel the Otters’ 6-4 comeback win in a rematch of last year’s OHL Championship Series.  Williams got the start Saturday night against the London Knights and earned first star honours with 23 saves in the 3-1 victory, and wrapped up his week by matching a season-high with 35 saves in a first place battle against the Kitchener Rangers standing tall in the 5-2 triumph.

The 20-year-old from Saginaw, Michigan, is playing in his fifth OHL season with the Otters and currently carries a 14-0-1-0 record leading all OHL goaltenders in wins so far this season.  His goals-against-average of 2.31 is also the league’s best while his save percentage is tied for third best at .921.  Earlier this season Williams established a new Otters franchise mark for career wins and now has 79 since the 2011-12 season.

Watch video highlights of Williams and the Otters against the Steelheads, Knights, and Rangers.

Also considered for the award this week was fellow Otter and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome who led the league in scoring for the second straight week with 10 points in four games including three goals and seven assists, and Los Angeles Kings prospect Mike Amadio of the North Bay Battalion recorded eight points in two games scoring three goals and five assists including a career-high six-point performance Sunday afternoon in a 7-3 win over the Barrie Colts.

Pioneer

2015-16 Pioneer Energy OHL Players of the Week:

Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Hunter Garlent (Peterborough Petes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

Victor Mete – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  5’10”

Weight: 175 pounds

Date of birth: June 7, 1998. Woodbridge, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 8th overall, 2014 Priority Selection (Owen Sound Attack)

“Prior to the draft, nobody was ever misled or it was never indicated that he had any interest in the OHL. Every team was aware of that. Owen Sound, they have all the right to select him. But at this time he’s got no interest.”

Advisor Ryan Barnes to Yahoo Sports.

Too often, when a situation arises where a player will not report to the OHL and is considering the NCAA option instead, we wonder about a player’s character. But we have to remember that a player at his age has to look at what is best for him. He (his family and advisors) has to consider life beyond hockey because there is never a guarantee. And for Mete and his family, education was at the top of his list.

One cannot deny that the City of Owen Sound could offer everything Mete was looking for in terms of education. Enter the London Knights, an elite organization when it comes to educational opportunities provided to its players. They paid a huge price to acquire his services and they will reap the benefits.

In an organization with the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Max Jones and Olli Juolevi – all projected to be first round picks in the 2016 NHL Draft – there will be plenty of eyes on Mete. He himself has the potential to break into the first round and set a new standard for first round picks from one organization.

Many in the OHL circle have compared him to former Kitchener Rangers’ star defenseman Ryan Murphy – and almost as many say he is a better skater. More on that to come.

Mete played his Midget hockey for the Toronto Jr Canadiens where he scored 12 goals and 18 assists in 33 games.

Victor Mete of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Victor Mete of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The following season he joined the Knights and during his rookie campaign he scored 7 goals and added 16 assists in 58 games. But it wasn’t until the playoffs where he came into his own and became arguably the Knights’ best defender while scoring 1 goal and 7 assists in 10 games. He was named to the OHL second All Rookie Team.

Mete went on to represent Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and won a gold medal registering an assist in 4 games. Internationally he’s also represented Canada for Team Red at the World Hockey Challenge U-17 where he scored once and added an assist in 5 games and was an Alternate Captain.

Mete’s rookie season didn’t start out all sunshine and roses. He struggled defensively at times and was either tentative or lacking confidence offensively. However it all came together during the playoffs. It’s also carried over to this season.

Mete is an elite skater. It’s that skating ability that opens up options for him, whether it’s skating the puck out of danger or eluding a forechecker and getting himself into position to make a clean breakout pass. He has a very powerful shot and can quarterback the powerplay. It’s here that one can draw comparisons to Murphy.

However it’s defensively where the comparisons to Murphy should end. Mete has made tremendous strides defending. Despite the lack of size, he uses his skating abilities to put himself in position defensively and combined with his active stick and surprising strength, keeps players much bigger than him to the outside. He’s also not afraid to battle down low and in front of his goal and it’s surprising how often he skates away with the puck.

Mete made NHL Central Scouting’s list of players to watch as a B prospect – typically a second or third round pick. The first round is still very much within reach.

Here is an isolation video of Mete with the Toronto Jr Canadiens courtesy of TheScout.ca

“Breaking Away” O’Sullivan and his connection to a great coach

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

By Brandon Sudeyko

When discussing how effective a coach is, many will point to the X’s and O’s or the depth of talent that they have or the most important measuring stick… the number in the W column.

What seems to get missed in every conversation is what a coach can do for a player off the ice. Obviously a coach is around to develop talent but they have a big responsibility to develop a teenager into a young adult and an upstanding citizen. Why wouldn’t the coach have that much of an impact on a player? Between practices and games, the coach is with his team approximately 10-15 hours a week. Given the nature of the hockey schedule, that is upwards of 450+ hours which is equivalent to a Monday-Friday 9-5 job for a month

This point of how important a coach is off the ice came to light in Patrick O’Sullivan’s book, Breaking Away, in which he chronicles his Junior hockey life with an verbally and physically abusive father. The book itself is a tough read but very informative and should be on a must read list.

O’Sullivan had a prolific junior career all the way up to the OHL where he played under Don Cherry for the Mississauga Ice Dogs. O’Sullivan was the 2002 OHL and CHL Rookie of the year, He was a member of the 2004 USA Junior team that won the gold medal in Finland. O’Sullivan still holds the record for games, goals, assists and points for the Mississauga/Niagara OHL Franchise. In his professional career, he was named the 2006 AHL Rookie of the year and holds the same goals, assists and points record with the Houston Aeros franchise.

In his story, a specific chapter stands out entitled, ‘WASHKURAK’. A couple pages devoted to one man, Joe Washkurak, former Mississauga Ice Dogs assistant coach when O’Sullivan was a member of the OHL franchise, and current Mississauga Chargers head coach in the OJHL.

In the chapter, O’Sullivan points out Joe’s background as a social worker, and how he worked with families of domestic abuse. The chapter is a look back as Patrick reconnects with Joe in November of 2014, but discuss a key moment how Joe helped out O’Sullivan through the rough period in his life. The assistant coach helped him move into a new billet home, providing security and safety for the young man and just providing any help possible to keep distance between O’Sullivan and his father.

There is a particular part in the chapter that is heart breaking as a moment of hesitation occurred but seemingly clicked at the same time. O’Sullivan mentions that he doesn’t hold any of his coaches responsible for not doing enough but points out that Joe seems to always blame himself for not doing more. And that last part not only tugs at the heart strings but shows that Coaching Junior players, no matter what sport, has to be more than X’s and O’s. The mark of a great coach isn’t about how many banners are hanging in the rafters. It is taking those past experiences and using your knowledge to help mould the young players and turn them into fine young men and be that sounding board. Be that support that they need. Be that substitute parent when they are at the rink.

Joe Washkurak is a great coach who doesn’t get his due because of the W-L record that is attached to the Mississauga Chargers. He develops talent not only for the OHL, but for the CIS and NCAA. In the coaching circles he is highly regarded and when you ask players, behind all of his gestures when he is behind the bench, he truly cares for the players standing in front of him.

The players who don the Mississauga Chargers jersey are lucky to have a coach like Joe Washkurak, and after the reading of the book, they may get a strong sense of how invaluable he can be.

The Chargers have a great one, and one who is often overshadowed.

Cherry and Orr to Coach 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

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Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with BMO Financial group, and the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants Hockey Club, today announced that Canadian hockey icons Don Cherry and Bobby Orr will serve as coaches in the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver, BC.

 Taking place on Thursday January 28, 2016, the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is the 21st annual showcase of the CHL’s top-40 NHL Draft eligible players featuring talent from across the WHL, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, competing before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance.

 “The BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game has evolved into a truly prestigious annual event for all of our players and fans thanks to the support of Don Cherry and Bobby Orr who have helped build this showcase since it first started in 1996,” said CHL President David Branch. “The CHL is honoured that Don and Bobby are returning behind the bench in January for what will be a very special experience for the 40 players competing on the ice, and for hockey fans in Vancouver and across the entire CHL.”

 This season will mark the 13th meeting and second straight in the historic coaching rivalry between Cherry and Orr that began with a 9-3 Team Cherry victory at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1996.  Team Orr emerged with a 6-0 win last season in St. Catharines, ON, while Team Cherry won the previous head-to-head matchup by a 4-2 score in Windsor, ON, back in 2010.  Orr holds an 8-4 all-time winning record against Cherry in their previous 12 games.  Cherry has participated in this event on three other occasions without Orr including 2005 in Vancouver when he was victorious over coaching opponent John Davidson, followed by 2011 in Toronto falling to Team Orr led by Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark, and in 2013 in Halifax, NS, in a defeat against Team Orr led by Mike McPhee.  Since 2006, the winning team has been presented with the Don Cherry and Bobby Orr CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Trophy engraved with the names of every player to ever participate in this prestigious event.

 “The Vancouver Giants are honoured to have Bobby and Don make the trip out to Vancouver to make this event as good as it gets,”said Giants majority owner Ron Toigo. “To have these hockey icons here for the BMO Top Prospects game, junior hockey’s best on best, and having the proceeds going towards the Pat Quinn Legacy and Scholarship funds will make this a truly special event you won’t want to miss.”

 Cherry, a native of Kingston, ON, has been the star of Hockey Night in Canada’s Coach’s Corner for more than 25 years.  He coached in the NHL with the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies from 1974 to 1980 coaching Orr in his first season behind the Bruins bench and part of the 1975-76 season where he won the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s Coach of the Year.  In 480 games as a NHL coach he has a won-lost-tied record of 250-153-77.  Cherry played his major junior hockey with the Windsor Spitfires in 1951-52 before competing as a member of the Barrie Flyers’ 1953 Memorial Cup winning team.

 Orr, a native of Parry Sound, ON, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 after playing 12 seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks recording 915 points on 270 goals and 645 assists.  A winner of two Stanley Cup Championships with the Bruins, Orr also captured two NHL scoring titles and was selected winner of the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player three times and won a record eight-straight James Norris Trophy awards presented annually to the NHL’s top defenceman.  In 1999 Orr was selected to the MasterCard All-time CHL team and in 2008 had his number 2 jersey retired by the Oshawa Generals where he played from 1962-66.

 Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 13 players that were selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Chris Phillips, Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Rick Nash, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nathan MacKinnon, Aaron Ekblad, and most recently Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers.  McDavid, who captained Team Orr last season, was the first of 13 CHL players who competed in the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to be selected in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

 Ticket prices for the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game range from $19-$49 plus applicable fees and can be purchased atVancouverGiants.com, TicketLeader.ca, by calling the Vancouver Giants office or at the Pacific Coliseum box office which is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm or during all Vancouver Giants home games.

For group tickets (10 or more), call the Vancouver Giants office at 604-4-GIANTS (604-444-2687), Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

The 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner BMO Bank of Montreal, and CHL associate sponsors Cooper Tire, autoTRADER.ca and Sherwin-Williams.

For more information please visit www.bmotopprospects.ca.

BMO and the Canadian Hockey League

BMO Financial Group and the Canadian Hockey League announced BMO as the Official Bank of the Canadian Hockey League in 2011. The sponsorship builds on BMO’s partnership with the CHL of more than 10 years and affirms BMO’s exclusivity as a financial services sponsor of the league in the retail banking category. It also engrains a presence with the 48 teams which currently participate in the BMO CHL Affinity MasterCard program, which enables CHL fans to support their favourite teams through a co-branded credit card.

Super series

Taylor Raddysh – Player Profile – Erie Otters

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 200 pounds

Date of birth: February 18, 1998. Caledon, Ontario

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 19th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Taylor Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Taylor Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Taylor Raddysh played his Minor Midget hockey for the Toronto Marlboros where he scored 21 goals and added 6 assists in 31 games which led him to being a first round selection of the Otters in the 2014 Priority Selection.

During his rookie season, Raddysh appeared in 58 games scoring 21 goals and adding 6 assists and contributed 3 goals and 3 assists in 19 playoff games as the Otters went on to the OHL finals only to lose to the Oshawa Generals. He also played in 5 games for Canada White at the World Hockey Challenge-U17 where he contributed a single assist.

Raddysh’s 21 goals were fourth among rookies last season behind Alex DeBrincat’s 51 (2016 Draft Eligible), Zachary Senyshyn’s 26 (Boston Bruins, 2015) and Petrus Palmu’s 22 (undrafted) while his 27 points ranked 19th.

Throughout his career, Raddysh’s stats would suggest he’s a goal scorer first. But do his 6 goals and 21 assists in 17 games to date this season suggest that he’s turned into a playmaker first?

On the contrary.

Raddysh is one of those players that can do a little bit of everything and whatever the coaching staff asks of him. He’s a student of the game and willing to learn.

At 6’2” and 200 pounds, Raddysh has good size and is an above average skater. He has an elusiveness where he can slip away from coverage unnoticed and putting himself in prime scoring areas. He can play a 200 foot game, come back hard on the back check and rarely misses his defensive responsibilities in his own zone.

 He’s also an effective forechecker, able to dump and chase using smarts to put the puck in where he can retrieve it and use his skating to get on top of defensemen and deliver a hard and sometimes punishing hit.

Raddysh has above average puck handling skills. He can carry the puck with ease at top speed and make a play on the rush. He has an excellent shot with a very good release and delivers it with accuracy.

NHL Central Scouting has Raddysh as a B prospect on their September list of players to watch – which typically means a second or third round pick. My opinion as of now is that he’ll be an early second rounder.

Keaton Middleton – Player Profile – Saginaw Spirit

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 235 pounds

Date of birth: February 10, 1998. Stratford, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 3, 50th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Keaton Middleton is the younger brother of Ottawa 67’s and Los Angeles Kings draft pick Jacob Middleton. He is currently in his second Ontario Hockey League seasons.

Middleton played his Minor Midget hockey with the Huron Perth Lakers during the 2013-2014 season. There, he played in 31 games scoring twice and adding 20 assists. At the conclusion of his season he appeared in 3 regular season and 4 playoff games for the Stratford Cullitons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (Junior B).

Keaton Middleton of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Keaton Middleton of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The following season, Middleton made the jump to the OHL appearing in 61 games for the Spirit and scoring twice and adding 7 assists with 58 penalty minutes. He also played in 5 games for Team White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge netting one assist. While with the Spirit he averaged 16:24 of even strength ice time, a total that’s jumped up to 20:16 this season.

Middleton has that size that NHL scouts still drool over and as one of the stronger players in the OHL, the strength to go along with it. He finishes his hits, sometimes punishing, battles down low and is a beast in front of his own goal, making opponents not want to engage with him.

Middleton’s skating isn’t the greatest but his mobility is “good enough”. Combining that with his enormous reach and strong physical game, he has the ability to be a strong shut down defender. While he’s never, and will never be known as an offensive defenseman, he’s shown some flashes throughout his career to date. He possesses a hard and heavy shot from the point but his puck handling skills and decision making need some improvement.

Spirit coach Greg Gilbert had this to say about Middleton: “He has to be one of those big, steady, hard-nosed guys. He’s got to play that way every night. He’s got to let the opposition know it’s going to be a long night for them.”

Gilbert added: “We want our defensemen to get involved offensively, but his priority is to be a big, solid, physical, stay-at-home defenseman.”

Middleton made NHL Central Scouting’s players to watch list as a B prospect – typically second or third round prospects – and exactly where Middleton should settle in come June 2016.

Middleton is a work in progress and is still quite raw but he has the potential to be one of the better shut down defenders in the 2016 NHL Draft.

CHL Announces BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the eighth edition of the BMO CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2015-16 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

BMO

BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 8

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Kitchener Rangers (14-1-3-0) 3 4
2 Erie Otters (14-2-1-0) 1 8
3 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (17-2-3-1) 2 7
4 Shawinigan Cataractes (18-4-0-0) 4 8
5 Red Deer Rebels (14-6-0-0) 8 5
6 Victoria Royals (14-5-0-1) – 2
7 London Knights (12-2-1-1) 7 8
8 Kelowna Rockets (14-5-0-0) – 2
9 Windsor Spitfires (12-4-3-0) 10 3
10 Lethbridge Hurricanes (12-5-0-0) – 1
Honourable Mention:
Moncton Wildcats (13-6-2-0) – 1
Gatineau Olympiques (14-6-1-1) – 1
Kingston Frontenacs (11-6-1-1) – 1

CHL Large