Jacob Ingham – Mississauga Steelheads – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 185 Pounds

Date of birth: June 10, 2000

Hometown: Barrie, Ontario

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 26th overall, 2016 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: B Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 3rd overall, North American Goaltenders

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

Coming into the 2017-2018 season, Mississauga Steelheads’ goaltender Jacob Ingham was considered by many to be near the top of the draft class and rightfully so. But the Ontario Hockey League class isn’t as strong as a season ago that saw Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires) and Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds) get drafted into the National Hockey League while Kaden Fulcher (Hamilton Bulldogs) and Kyle Keyser (Oshawa Generals) showing enough to get free agent deals with the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins respectively.

Ingham’s competition this season comes from Jordon Kooy of the London Knights and Nick Donofrio of the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Ingham would play his minor midget hockey with the Barrie Colts during the 2015-2016 season posting a 1.73 goals-against average in 15 games. He would get a taste of Junior A hockey with the Orangeville Flyers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Jacob Ingham of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Jacob Ingham of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

The scouting report from OHL Central Scouting at the time read as follows:

Jacob is a very good technical goaltender. He gets out to the top of his crease and challenges shooters, is very athletic, moves very well in his crease and has the ability to make the big desperation save when he has to. Jacob is mentally strong as he doesn’t let goals against get to him. He battles and competes to see pucks and finds them in scrambles. He always seems to make the big save when his team needs it. Jacob will be a goalie to watch moving forward in the OHL. 

Last season Ingham appeared in 31 games for the Steelheads and posted a respectable 2.69 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. He would be named to the OHL First All-Rookie squad at the end of the regular season. He would man the net in 6 playoff games for the Steelheads and post a 2.68 goals-against average but a very disappointing .876 save percentage.

Ingham would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17, helping Canada Black capture a silver medal. In 5 appearances he posted a 2.15 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.

It appeared the book on him from Central Scouting was correct and then this season happened.

Something happened to the technique we saw a season ago. The opposition was able to exploit differences in his game. Where he had previously played big in his crease, he was being beaten up high. While he is very athletic, his post-to-post movement seemed to have changed and he would get caught “cheating” off the short side post.

Ingham’s ability to fight through traffic also appeared to take a step back. He had trouble finding the puck in battles out front and that would leave the bottom of the cage exposed as he tried to fight for sight of the puck.

The Steelheads liked to play a run-and-gun game, and who could argue with the offensive firepower they possessed. But it would often lead to odd-man rushes and long breakaway attempts and when they needed a big save, they just weren’t getting it.

As previously mentioned, Ingham is very athletic. He gets out to the top of the paint quickly. His post to post movement is also very quick. He has shown an ability to control his rebounds. His glove hand could use some improvement.

With Ingham, it will all come down to coaching. He has an excellent work ethic and there is no doubt he will put in all the work required. It will come down to working on and tweaking his technique.

I can’t help but feel his season has hurt his draft stock.

Stat page of Jacob Ingham from Elite Prospects

Liam Foudy – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 182 pounds

Date of birth: February 4, 2000

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 18th overall, 2016 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: B Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 91st overall, 2016 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

London Knights’ center Liam Foudy comes from a sports family. His father Sean played professional football for six seasons in the Canadian Football League. His mother France Gareau is an Olympian who competed at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles in the 100-meter sprint as well as the 4 X 100-meter relay where she captured a silver medal. And younger brother Jean-Luc was the tenth overall pick at the recently completed Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selection by the hated Windsor Spitfires.

Foudy played his minor midget hockey with the Markham Majors during the 2015-2016 season. He appeared in 32 games scoring 19 goals and 19 assists. The Knights selected Foudy with the 18th overall pick at the 2016 Priority Selection. The scouting report from OHL Central Scouting read as follows:

Liam is the engine that makes his team go. He does a very good job of anticipating the play and jumping into holes at the right time, which is one of the reasons why he gets so many breakaways. He has deceiving quickness and changes gears well off the rush to beat defenders. He has a very high skill set and is dangerous one-on-one. Liam has good hands around the net and capitalizes on the majority of his chances. He has developed into a top GTHL prospect. 

Liam Foudy of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Liam Foudy of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

During the 2016-2017 season, Foudy would appear in 58 games for the Knights, scoring 9 goals and adding 6 assists. He would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and post three assists in six games.

Foudy would take on a bigger role with the Knights this season and he didn’t disappoint, at least as the season progressed. He played in 65 games scoring 24 goals and adding 16 assists. He would contribute a goal and an assist in 4 playoff games.

Foudy will represent Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championship Under-18.

It’s been somewhat of a night and day season for Foudy. Depending on who you talk to, much more was expected from him. He had 3 goals and no assists in his first 22 games but finished the year strong with 17 goals and 11 assists in his final 21 games. The Knights had sold off some veteran players and Foudy seemed to relish, and succeed, in the expanded role he was given.

Foudy was added to the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game as an injury replacement where he drew attention to his on ice and off ice testing. He finished in the top five players in each group of tests.

Foudy is an excellent skater with excellent acceleration and top end speed. It’s a well camouflaged separation gear that makes him so dangerous one-on-one. Early in the season, it appears he wasn’t always making the right decisions. It’s as though someone flipped a switch and his brain caught up to his speed. 

Also, earlier in the season, Foudy wasn’t using his speed to get in on the forecheck and create turnovers. It’s an area that has seen a massive change in the second half of the season. He’s also become a superb penalty killer and a threat on the PK as seen by his 5 goals and 3 assists while the Knights were a man down.

Foudy also has a decent shot, but he won’t overpower goaltenders. His 24 goals on the season came on just 136 shots, good for a 17.6 shooting percentage. If he is going to continue to grow as a centreman, he will need to improve on his faceoffs. He was just 121 for 257 on the dot, or 47.1%.


Stat Page of Liam Foudy from Elite Prospects

 

Curtis Douglas – Windsor Spitfires – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 232 pounds

Date of birth: March 6, 2000

Hometown: Oakville, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 4, 76th overall, 2016 Priority Selection (Barrie Colts)

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 70th overall, North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

Windsor Spitfires’ giant Curtis Douglas played minor midget hockey with the Mississauga Senators during the 2015-2016 season where he posted 8 goals and 4 assists in 32 games. The Barrie Colts would select Douglas with their fourth-round pick, 76th overall at the 2016 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

Last season Douglas appeared in 53 games for the Colts posting 4 goals and 5 assists in those contests.

He got off to a good start this season with 7 goals and 11 assists in his first 28 games with Barrie. On December 14, 2017, he was biggest piece (no pun intended) the Spitfires received in return for sending Aaron Luchuk to the Colts.

Curtis Douglas of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Curtis Douglas of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Following the trade, Douglas played in 38 games for the Spits scoring 15 goals and 13 assists and adding another goal and 3 assists in 6 playoff games.

First and foremost, you must be impressed with the 6’8” frame Douglas has. By NHL standards, he would be the second tallest player in the league behind 6’9 defenceman Zdeno Chara and the tallest forward ahead of 6’6” Brian Boyle. He is more then willing to use that size advantage. He can be a physically dominating force battling for pucks along the wall. Once he plants himself in front of the opposition net, defenders are unable to move him. And he uses that enormous reach he possesses in all zones to break up plays.

Despite the tall frame, Douglas is a deceptively quick skater. However, continuing to work on his overall skating is a necessity. Agility, first step speed and a breakaway gear could stand improving. His size could hinder that, but even a small improvement will help him succeed at the next level.

Douglas is a smart player who almost always makes the right decisions whether in the offensive zone or defensive zone. He has extremely soft hands and can make plays. He has excellent vision and can sometimes make plays out of nothing. He could at times though slow the pace down allowing his linemates to get into lanes or danger areas. He has the ability to find them and if he did so, he could become even more dangerous offensively.

He has an excellent work ethic and on many nights is the hardest worker on the ice. He can score the dirty goals but can also beat you with a shot. When he is totally engaged, he can dominate the offensive zone.

The 2018 National Hockey League Draft isn’t a particularly strong nor deep draft for centremen. Teams will look long and hard at Douglas. He could even go before most of us have him ranked.


Stat page of Curtis Douglas from Elite Prospects

 

Connor Corcoran – Windsor Spitfires – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: August 7, 2000

Hometown: Beeton, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 2, 21st overall, 2016 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 96th overall, North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

Windsor Spitfires’ blueliner Connor Corcoran played his minor midget hockey during the 2015-2016 season with the Barrie Colts. In 32 games, Corcoran scored twice and added eight assists. But it was at the OHL Cup where he showed excellent offensive abilities when he scored two goals, along with three assists in four games.

The Spitfires used the first pick of the second round to select Corcoran and the 2016 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, making him the twenty-first overall pick.

OHL Central Scouting filed this report on Corcoran prior to the draft:

Connor has played both defense and forward for his team this season. He is a good skater with good mobility and puck skills which allow him to carry the puck from the back end and beat forecheckers. Connor is strong along the boards at both ends of the rink and uses his physical size to his advantage. Connor’s versatility will be a big asset for him moving forward in his hockey career. 

Corcoran made his OHL debut last season with the Spitfires. Appearing in 59 games, he scored 5 goals and added 5 assists. He also represented Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17, winning a silver medal with Canada Black.

Connor Cororan of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Connor Corcoran of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Corcoran began the season playing on the bottom pair, but as the Spitfires moved out some veteran defenders, his ice time climbed, and he played a key role on the blueline. He finished the season with 3 goals and 21 assists in 63 games and added another goal and 2 assists in 6 playoff games.  He finished seventh among draft eligible defencemen in scoring.

Corcoran is a two-way defender who is a very good skater with excellent straight-line speed and very good mobility. Defensively, he closes his gaps extremely well. His speed and mobility allow him to keep players wide. He has good size and doesn’t shy away from the physical game and plays the body well to separate the opposition from the puck.

Corcoran plays calm in his zone and does not buckle under pressure. He can beat the forecheck with his skating or make a good first pass out of the zone. He makes quick, decisive decisions and shows to have a high hockey IQ.

Offensively, Corcoran uses those same smarts. Having played forward previously, he knows how a forward thinks the game. He is very good at keeping possession and with a high ability to see the ice, uses strong passing abilities to set up teammates. He can get his shot through from the point and can shoot with a purpose.

Stat page of Connor Corcoran from Elite Prospects

Peter Stratis – Sudbury Wolves – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 183 pounds

Date of birth: January 18, 2000

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 11th overall, 2016 Priority Selection (Ottawa 67’s)

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 116th overall, North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

The Sudbury Wolves acquired defenceman Peter Stratis from the Ottawa 67’s on January 9, 2018 in exchange for four draft picks.  Stratis was the 11th overall pick by the 67’s at the 2016 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

Stratis played his minor midget hockey for the Mississauga Rebels during the 2015-2016 season. He appeared in 70 games for the Rebels and scored 20 goals while adding 29 assists. He would add 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 OHL Cup games for the Rebels.

At the time of his draft, this was OHL Central Scouting’s scouting report:

Peter is a complete and versatile defender that does a lot of things very well. He has a good skating stride and is explosive off the mark. He uses his skating ability to beat forecheckers and join or lead the rush to create offense. Peter is a heads-up player that sees ice well from the back end. He makes the simple play most of the time and is a smart player that understands the game and its situations. He has a good hard shot from the point and has scored numerous goals from there this season. 

Stratis made his OHL debut last season with the 67’s. He played in 49 games and scored once while adding 14 assists. He would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17.

Peter Stratis of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Former first-round pick Peter Stratis was acquired from the Ottawa 67’s on January 9, 2018 for four draft picks Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

This season, Stratis got off to a very good start with the 67’s. Through 39 games, he had 4 goals and 9 assists. He maintained his offensive production once the trade happened, finishing the year off as a member of the Wolves scoring twice and adding 10 assists.

I’m not sure if Stratis is not getting enough attention or if he’s receiving too much attention. We know the adage “Jack of all trades, master of none.” I don’t believe that fits Stratis entirely as it is believed in some circles in the hockey world.

First and foremost, Stratis is an excellent skater with a very good first couple of strides and he can reach top speed quickly. His mobility is very good including his lateral movement and his backwards skating. That, in today’s game, is an asset.

Combine that skating with the hockey sense Stratis possesses and we have a good start. He thinks the game at an above average level and he thinks it quickly. Beginning in the defensive zone, he understands gaps and closes them quickly. He has a very active stick and uses it effectively. He won’t overpower you with physicality and it is an area where he could use some improvement. He makes a good first pass to clear the zone but doesn’t skate it out with regularity. That could come as he gets more confidence.

Offensively, Stratis has shown that with his vision and passing, can quarterback a powerplay. However, he needs to work on aspects of his shot, specifically, his release, needs a heavier shot, needs to get his shot through and needs to shoot with a purpose.

Stratis possesses some interesting abilities. The question now becomes forecasting whether he can take his game up to the next level and can he improve on the things he needs to?

Stat page of Peter Stratis from Elite Prospects

Nico Gross – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 185 Pounds

Date of birth: January 26, 2000

Hometown: Pontresina, Switzerland

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 40th overall, 2017 CHL Import Draft

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: B Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 47th overall North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

The 2018 National Hockey League Draft could be the year for defencemen with as many as 10 Ontario Hockey League blueliners going in the first two rounds of this year’s draft on June 22 – 23 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Where do I think Oshawa Generals’ rearguard Nico Gross gets selected? Well those rankings will come out before the draft.

Nico Gross of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Nico Gross of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Gross hails from Pontresina, Switzerland where the Swiss are developing more and more quality players. Look no further than last year’s first overall pick by the New Jersey Devils and Nico Hischier.

Prior to being the 40th overall selection at the 2017 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, Gross played for EVZ Academy in the Swiss NLB League – a level below their top National League. Gross carries with him a wealth of international experience having represented the Swiss at the Under-16, while competing twice at each of the World Hockey Championship Under-18, the World Hockey Championship Under-20, and the Ivan Hlinka Memorial.

Gross has okay size for a blueliner at 6’1” but could stand to add some muscle. Despite that, he will not shy away from the physical game as he is comfortable throwing the body and battling down low and in front of his goal area. Once he adds that bulk, he could become a more dominant physical presence.

Gross is also an excellent skater with very good lateral movement and a superb backwards skater. His good acceleration allows him to evade the forecheck and skate out of danger. Along with his skating abilities, his hockey smarts allow him to jump into the play and join the offence. He is however, a little weak on his skates and that can change when he adds some strength.

Gross is very good with the puck on his stick. He handles it well and protects the puck very well. With his vision, he finds open lanes and can make crisp, clean passes to his teammates. He has shown an ability to quarterback the powerplay. He’s grown as a player who was prone to making bad pinches to one who picks his spots better.

Defensively, Gross is difficult to beat one-on-one. His skating allows him to keep forwards to the outside. He keeps his gaps tight and uses his stick effectively. He holds the blue line like a seasoned veteran. It’s hard to judge his penalty killing abilities on a Generals’ team where the PK wasn’t that great. But he seems to understand his responsibilities when a man down.

Gross is the type of high-risk, high-reward type of player that could make an NHL team jump early on him or cause him to slide a bit in the draft. He certainly has plenty of experience playing against older players and already having some professional games under his belt.

Wherever he is drafted, I think an NHL team will come away happy with him.

Stat page of Nico Gross from Elite Prospects

Billy Moskal – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: March 22, 2000

Hometown: Sudbury, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 40th overall, 2016 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 130th North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

A native of Sudbury Ontario, London Knights’ pivot Billy Moskal played his minor midget hockey with the Sudbury Wolves Minor Midget squad during the 2015-2016 season where he scored 18 goals and added 18 assists in 23 games.

Moskal has never been a stranger when it comes to putting up points. A year earlier, while playing Bantam AAA for the Sudbury Wolves, he scored 24 goals and 22 assists in 37 games. But it was during the playoffs where he stepped it up. In just 6 games, Moskal compiled 6 goals and 11 assists.

The Knights would select Moskal with their second-round pick at the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. He would be selected 40th overall.

Billy Moskal of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Billy Moskal of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

At the time of his draft, OHL Central Scouting had this scouting report:

Billy is one of the hardest working and hardest to play against players in this year’s draft. He brings everything he has each and every shift he is on the ice. His skating lets him create offense and allows him to get in the face of the opponent. He always finds a way to create offense for himself and his teammates. His compete level is very high, and he wins the majority of his battles for pucks. He is the kind of player that every coach loves to have on his team. 

Last season, Moskal split time with the Knights and the St Marys Lincolns of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. He would register 2 assists in 13 games with the Knights. With the Lincolns, Moskal would score 23 goals and 29 assists in 41 games and add 7 assists in 5 playoff games.

The list of personal and team achievements is impressive:

2013/2014:

NOMBHL Champion

2014/2015:

  • Big Nickel International Tournament Bantam AAA All-Star Team
  • Big Nickel International Tournament Bantam AAA Champion
  • Big Nickel International Tournament Bantam AAA MVP

2015/2016:

GNHL Champion

2016/2017:

GOJHL Rookie of the Year (Western Conference)

Moskal has some impressive leadership qualities. He’s captained squads prior to the OHL while also being an Alternate Captain. It should come to no one’s surprise if Dale Hunter and his staff were to place a letter on his jersey for next season. As Central Scouting said prior to his draft, he is one of the hardest workers and hardest players to play against, and teammates just want to follow his lead.

Moskal’s size is okay. He is a very good skater with some very good speed. He get’s in on the forecheck quickly and isn’t afraid to get dirty and creates turnovers by doing so. He possesses silky-smooth hands and very good at keeping possession. He is shifty and can create scoring chances for himself or use those silky mitts to create chances for his teammates.

Moskal is a very intelligent player who understands the game at both ends. Coach Hunter wasn’t afraid to use Moskal in any situation, be it the penalty kill, powerplay, taking key faceoffs, or protecting the lead late in the game. He looks like a player who relishes the defensive responsibilities. He skates hard on the back-check, is positionally strong in his own zone, understands how to close off passing and shooting lanes and uses his body and stick effectively.

Moskal finished the regular season with 7 goals and 19 assists in 66 games for the Knights. He won 452 of 798 faceoffs for 56.6% – tops among draft eligible players in the OHL.

If I were to make an honest projection on Moskal, I can see him top out as a third line two-way pivot who is strong defensively and can provide some offence. Or he could play a fourth line energy guy who is skilled at killing penalties and be a top faceoff guy.

Stat Page of Billy Moskal from Elite Prospects

 

Sam Bitten – Ottawa 67’s – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 192 Pounds

Date of birth: March 21, 2000

Hometown: Gloucester, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 5, 92nd overall, 2016 Priority Selection – Round 4, 40th overall CCHL Bantam Protected Draft 

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 94th, North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

Prior to joining the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League, offence came naturally to Sam Bitten. Twice he’s led his leagues in both assists and points. During the 2013-2014 season his 32 assists and 45 points were tops in Minor Bantam for the Ottawa Jr 67’s. The following season he led Bantam AAA with 26 assists and 44 points with the Jr 67’s. He scored 13 and 18 goals respectively. The Jr 67’s won championships in both seasons.

The following season Bitten played his minor midget hockey with the Mississauga Rebels. In 55 games with the Rebels Bitten scored 19 goals and added 27 assists. He would add 3 goals and 2 assists in 5 games for the Rebels at the OHL Cup.

Sam Bitten of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Sam Bitten of the Ottawa 67’s. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Last season Bitten split time with the Kanata Lasers of the CCHL and the Ottawa 67’s. He played in 51 games in the CCHL scoring 13 goals and adding 17 assists and being named to the CCHL All-Rookie Team. In the OHL, he played in 14 games for the 67’s, scoring twice and adding one assist.

Bitten is the younger brother of Hamilton Bulldogs’ Will Bitten (70th overall by the Montreal Canadiens at the 2016 NHL Draft). His father Michael appeared at the 1992 Olympics (Badminton) and mother Doris Piche appeared at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics (Badminton). Cousin Sebastien Piche played hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the East Coast Hockey League and is currently playing in Europe.

Bitten is a superb skater with excellent acceleration and top end speed with an extra gear to create separation. He can get in on the forecheck quickly and isn’t afraid to lean on people. He is a smart player that reads the play and makes quick and decisive decisions. He’s very good at causing turnovers in the neutral zone.

Bitten puts forth the same effort in defensively as he does offensively. His skating allows him to come back on the backcheck quickly. But without the effort he possesses to do so, it doesn’t mean much. He uses the same anticipation in his own zone as he does in other zones to create turnovers.

It’s been a bit of a struggle for Bitten offensively this season as he scored just 7 goals and 14 assists while playing in all 68 regular season games. He also potted 3 goals in 5 playoff games as he faced his brother and the Hamilton Bull Dogs, who won the series in five games. Part of the offensive struggles could be due to playing mostly third line minutes throughout the season.

If you are looking for a comparison to Bitten, I would suggest not looking at his older brother. While their skating is superb, I would suggest the comparisons end there. The elder Bitten, while 3 inches shorter, beats you with skill and an ability to use everyone on the ice or do it on his own. Sam, if he’s going to beat you, is going to have to rely on his pure work ethic.

Only time will tell if Bitten can find the offence he possessed prior to the OHL.

Stat Page of Sam Bitten from Elite Prospects

Alec Regula – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 200 pounds

Date of birth: August 6, 2000

Hometown: West Bloomfield, Michigan

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 4, 74th overall, 2016 Priority Selection – Round 2, 22nd overall, 2016 USHL Futures Draft

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: B Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 43rd North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

When it comes to London Knights’ defenceman Alec Regula, there are two things we know for certain: 1) When you spend a lot of time on the ice with Evan Bouchard, there will be plenty of scout’s eyes on you, and 2) When you spend a lot of time on the ice with Evan Bouchard, you don’t have to be as concerned about offence.

That is by no means suggesting that Regula is riding the coattails of Bouchard. On the contrary. Regula has made a name for himself.

Alec Regula of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Alec Regula of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

After graduating from playing high school hockey with Cranbrook-Kingswood Upper School where he scored 6 goals and 25 assists in 54 games over two seasons, Regula jumped to the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League a season ago. In 53 USHL games, he scored once and added four assists. He would add one helper in five playoff games as the Steel captured the Clark Cup as USHL Champions.

The path to the Ontario Hockey League had its hiccups. In August of 2016, Regula had given a verbal commitment to attend the University of Michigan. To maintain his NCAA eligibility, the OHL wasn’t an option for Regula, so he chose the USHL.

At the time of his commitment, Regula told MIHockey “I picked U of M because it’s close to home and it has really always been a dream of mine. I value academics greatly and Michigan really brings the best of both worlds. After visiting I realized there’s honestly nothing like it. I can’t express how excited I am to be committed to Michigan.”

It’s a debate in the hockey world that will never end, NCAA or CHL. But when a young teenager has a change of heart, as Regula did, one can not hold it against them.

Regula obviously possesses very good size. He is a very good skater with excellent acceleration. As the season progressed, he looked more comfortable in leading the rush. He is very capable of making an excellent pass to elude the forecheck, but he is also capable of skating the puck out of danger.

Regula can more then handle the tough defensive assignments. He thinks the game very well with great anticipation and plays a positionally sound game. His skating allows him to keep gaps close. He plays with a very active stick and knows how to close lanes. He’s tough to beat one-on-one and rarely gets beat to the outside.

Regula also has some very good offensive qualities. He finished the season with 7 goals and 18 assists in 67 games, second only to Rasmus Sandin in points by a rookie defenceman. He played minimal time with the man advantage – that’s no surprise when you have a guy like Bouchard who can play the full two minutes on the powerplay.

Regula can play in any situation however. With an August 6, 2000 birthdate, he makes the cut for the 2018 National Hockey League Draft by just over a month. There’s plenty of time and room for Regula to grow as a hockey player.

You’ve got to like defencemen that come from the Dale Hunter group in London. The future is certainly looking bright for him.

Stat page for Alec Regula from Elite Prospects

Caleb Everett – Saginaw Spirit – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: January 20, 2000

Hometown: Pleasant Lake, Michigan

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 6, 106 overall, 2016 Priority Selection – Round 2, 23rd overall, 2016 USHL Futures Draft

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 86th North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at present

Being a native of Pleasant Lake Michigan, it made sense that the Saginaw Spirit had eyes on 6’2” right shooting defenceman Caleb Everett when they were on the clock to make their sixth-round selection in 2016.

During the 2015-2016, Everett manned the blueline for the Compuware Under-16 squad where he scored twice and added four assists in seventeen games and played a key role in helping his squad win the State and National Titles. He would also get into a trio of regular season and playoff games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League.

Caleb Everett of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Caleb Everett of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Ontario Hockey League Central Scouting report on Everett read as follows:

Caleb is one of the top American defenders this season. He isn’t a player that is going to wow you with his skills and offensive flashes, he plays a simple and safe game. He is solid defensively and makes very few mistakes during the course of a game. He takes a calculated approach in his game. He makes the simple play and moves the puck up to his skilled forwards. He is the type of defender that coaches love because you always know that you are going to get a very effective and competitive effort. 

This season Everett appeared in 58 games for the Spirit scoring 6 goals and 14 assists. The Spirit were faced with the daunting task of going up against the top ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League – the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – in the first round of the playoffs and were eliminated in four games. While Everett didn’t register any points in the series, what you saw from him is what was expected.

There were – and maybe still are – questions about how much offensive ability Everett possesses. Consider this however: When the calendar flipped to 2018, he trailed only the big three of Evan Bouchard, Ryan Merkley and Rasmus Sandin in points among draft eligible defencemen while playing in the second fewest games. He had 4 of his 6 goals and 12 of his 14 assists by that time (26 games). And he did that after missing the first three weeks of the season, sustaining an injury on opening night against the Windsor Spitfires. Poor offensive numbers in the second half dropped him out of the top 10.

We try not to make excuses but would rather try and find an explanation because, unlike Central Scouting’s report, Everett has shown some offensive flashes. It’s possible that the OHL schedule took a toll on Everett. He was not accustomed to playing a 68-game schedule, or 3 games in 3 days.

At 6’2” Everett has good size. He’s a good skater with very good mobility and moves well and moves extremely well laterally. Defensively, he maintains close gaps, gets into passing lanes, is using his size more effectively and becoming more physical, has an excellent work ethic and doesn’t give up in battles. He makes a good first pass to clear the zone and as he matured as the season went on, became more comfortable at skating the puck up ice. He has the ability to be an excellent shut-down defenceman.

Again, the questions with Everett arise offensively. But he has shown he can create some offence. He makes excellent reads at the offensive blue line making safe pinches at the right time. He has the mobility to walk the line and create lanes to the net or for passes. He has a decent shot from the point and finds the target. He was given the opportunity to quarterback the powerplay and has shown an ability to do so.

Don’t be fooled by the sixth-round selection. Central Scouting had him ranked much higher and the lack of commitment as to whether he would go the OHL route or the USHL/NCAA route caused him to drop. And the Saginaw Spirit made no secret about that in the press conference announcing his commitment.

Stat page of Caleb Everett from Elite Prospects