Donovan Sebrango – Kitchener Rangers – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’

Weight: 184 Pounds

Date of birth: January 12, 2002

Hometown: Kingston, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 40th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 59 N.A.

60 N.A.

Kitchener Rangers defender and native of Kingston Ontario Donovan Sebrango, is a graduate of the CIHA White Midget AAA (Canadian International Hockey Academy) squad of 2017-2018. There, Sebrango would appear in 30 games, scoring 5 goals and assisting on 20. He would add 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 playoff contests.

For those unfamiliar with the CIHA, watch this feature on Gabriel Vilardi, the Los Angeles’ Kings 11th overall pick at the 2017 National Hockey League Draft.

Once his CIHA season was over, Sebrango would appear in 4 games for the Ottawa Jr Senators of the CCHL (Junior A). He went pointless in those 4 contests. The Rangers would select Sebrango in the 2nd round, 40th overall at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. Here is what OHL Central Scouting had to say at that time:

Donovan is one of the best skaters in this year’s Priority Selection. He has the ability to skate by anyone in the neutral zone. He can beat forecheckers by using his speed and edge work and he is a threat whenever he is in the offensive zone. He has good puck skills and can handle pucks at high speed and he is a very high risk high reward type of player. He competes hard all over the ice and won’t back down from anyone. Donovan has the skating ability and skill to be a very good player at the next level.

Back in October 2017, Sebrango would commit to Boston University and the NCAA for the 2020-2021 season. But almost 8 months later to the day, Sebrango sign a standard players agreement with the Rangers and thus nullifying his NCAA eligibility. (*Note: Every year I get dragged into the debate of players backing out of commitments, and I don’t want to get dragged into it again).

Donovan Sebrango of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Donovan Sebrango of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Sebrango would join the Rangers for the 2018-2019 season. He would appear in 62 games, scoring 7 goals and assisting on 19 others. His 26 points were 3rd best among OHL rookie defenders. He would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and assisted on 2 goals in 5 games.

Sebrango began this season representing Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup where he and his teammates captured a silver medal. As you know by now, the coronavirus has shortened this OHL season and at the time the OHL closed its doors on the regular season, Sebrango had appeared in 56 games scoring 6 goals and adding 24 helpers.

Sebrango is known as a two-way blue liner. At 6 feet, 184 pounds, he has decent size, but he sometimes plays even bigger. He’s a workhorse in front of his net, below the goal line and in the corners and along the wall. It’s hard to imagine how much more difficult it’ll be to go into battle in those areas with him once he adds more strength.

Sebrango’s skating is also a huge benefit while defending. He is able to maintain his gap control and keep players to the outside because of his agility on his blades. But it is also a benefit to him in transitioning. While he’s shown the ability to transition with his feet, he is sometimes caught forcing a play instead of making the safe play. The hockey IQ is there along with the vision. I think it comes down to gaining experience and learning to utilize his teammates more effectively. At this stage, we can say that about a lot of defenders and ultimately, it comes down to whether one thinks they’ll grow from the experience. We think Sebrango will.

Sebrango has also shown he can quarterback the powerplay effectively. He can control the blueline, keeping pucks in the attacking zone. He walks the line extremely well, allowing lanes to open up and with his vision, set up teammates for opportunities.

Sebrango won’t be a top pairing defenceman at the NHL level. We see him as a quality number 4 defender who can play a shut down role as has been evidenced in two year at the OHL level, and one who can maybe quarterback the second powerplay unit.

 

Oliver Suni – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 188 Pounds

Date of birth: February 13, 2002

Hometown: Kempele, Finland

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 44th overall, 2019 Import Draft

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
B Prospect B Prospect 45 N.A. 53 N.A.

A native of Kempele, Finland, Oliver Suni played his 2018-2019 season in Finland’s Junior B SM-Sarja League for the Karpat Under-18 squad. In 23 games, Suni scored 19 goals and assisted on 17 others. He also gained a lot of international experience while representing Finland at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 (Silver Medal) notching 3 helpers in 6 contests to go along with 6 goals and 10 assists in 20 international contests for the season. The Oshawa Generals would select Suni with the 44th overall pick at the 2019 Canadian Hockey League’s Import Draft.

Suni began this season last August representing his country once again, this time at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. There, Suni would have three helpers in 6 contests.

Oliver Suni of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Oliver Suni of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

The Ontario Hockey League rookie had a fantastic start to his season, scoring 8 goals and assisting on 15 in his first 26 games. But on December 6, Suni went hard into the boards with Kitchener Rangers’ Micheal Vukojevic and suffered a shoulder injury.

The Injury kept Suni out of game action until his return on January 25. While he scored in his return, his production took a dip to 4 goals and 5 assists in 16 games. At the time of his injury, he was second in points per game among rookies, second only to Kingston Frontenacs wonder kid Shane Wright.

First and foremost, you have to love Suni’s size. And he’s not afraid to use it, whether its in on the forecheck, plowing through opposition defenders, driving to the net and even in his own zone to separate the opposition from the puck.

For a bigger player, you have to like Suni’s skating. His first few steps are surprisingly strong and bordering on explosive. Combined with his size, he has the confidence in his skating to drive to the net. Yet, he’s not afraid to keep possession and make things happen. His vision is very good and we think his playmaking skills are underrated.

Some question his shooting ability, but we beg to differ. We think he has an excellent wrist shot, deceptive release and accurate. But more importantly, when a play isn’t there, he’s not afraid to put the puck low and on net with the purpose of creating a second chance opportunity.

Suni is also very adept at the defensive game, and this being his first season in North America, it comes as a bit of a surprise. As already mentioned, he’s not afraid of the physicality to separate opponents from the puck. But he also has an incredibly long reach and gets that stick into lanes to take away passes and disrupt plays.

It’s a tale of two stories with Suni. Early season Suni told us he had second line potential. Latter season Suni tells us he’ll be a third liner who is strong defensively and can put up some points. Unfortunately, the layoff got in the way. But I wouldn’t bet against him topping off as a second liner in the NHL.

Tanner Dickinson – Soo Greyhounds – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 155 Pounds

Date of birth: March 5, 2002

Hometown: Perrysburg, OHIO

Position: Center/Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Signed as a free agent in 2019

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 55 N.A.

67 N.A.

Tanner Dickinson spent most of the 2018-2019 season applying his trade with the Belle Tire Under-18 squad in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. There, Dickinson would appear in 71 games scoring 36 goals and adding 67 helpers to lead the league in points. He would go on to appear in 8 United States Hockey League contests with the Green Bay Gamblers notching a goal and an assist.

Dickinson would go undrafted at the Ontario Hockey League Draft; however, he had previously committed to go the NCAA route with Ohio State University. On may 30, 2019 Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis announced that they had signed and received a commitment from Dickinson, thus voiding his NCAA eligibility.

Tanner Dickinson of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Tanner Dickinson of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Entering his OHL draft year, there were concerns about his size, measuring in at 5’9 and just 124 pounds. But Dickinson has had a bit of a growth spurt since then weighing in at 155 pounds and measuring 5’11” (although some places list him at 6’). That concern has since been eliminated although he will definitely need to continue adding some bulk to his frame.

There are definitely some mixed reviews about Dickinson, or rather, difference of opinions on what he can become.

We here at OHLW think that Dickinson is a very intelligent player who sees the ice extremely well. He can play in the middle or on the wing, although we think he’ll best be suited at center once his game rounds out because he is so effective and distributing the puck.

Dickinson has superb speed. His edgework is very good and he can change pace as quick as anyone. But if your hands and head aren’t as quick as your feet, then all that speed is useless. However, that’s not the case here. He is such a speedy player; he gets in on defences quickly but his forechecking needs some work. Maybe once he adds that bulk to his frame, he will become more assertive physically on the forecheck. He also drives possession. He has no issues with carrying the puck over the blueline at to speed and assessing the situation and usually making the right play.

While all that speed pays dividends in offensive situations, it is also a weapon when on defence. For Dickinson, finding consistency is key not only from game-to-game, but shift to shift. He has shown the ability to come back hard on the backcheck. He knows where to be defensively and can close in on opponents quickly, and he can lead the breakout.

At the time the OHL paused its season for the Corona Virus threat, Dickinson had appeared in 64 games scoring 9 goals and assisting on 31, 2 and 16 of those respectively have come with the man advantage. His 31 helpers are second among OHL rookies this season and his 40 points rank him fifth. Not bad for a team as deep as the Greyhounds up front.

And for a team with aspirations of hosting a Memorial Cup in 2021, Dickinson could pay some huge dividends.

Luke Evangelista – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11

Weight: 165 Pounds

Date of birth: February 21, 2002

Hometown: Oakville, Ontario

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 14th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 58 N.A.

39 N.A.

 

If Minor Midget AAA is any indication of offensive prowess, then Luke Evangelista of the London Knights has it in spades. During the 2017-2018 season, Evangelista skated for the Oakville Rangers and potted 39 goals and 51 assists in 36 games. The Knights would select him with the 14th overall pick at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selection.

Here’s what OHL Central Scouting had to say at the time of the draft:

Luke is a dynamic winger that never stops moving his feet and putting pressure on the opposition. He is a very good skater that is quick to jump to open holes and pounce on loose pucks. He is creative offensively and uses his high skill level to produce with the best in his league. He competes hard each and every shift and you always know what you are getting with this player. He shoots the puck well and is extremely accurate. He is used in every situation and thrives on the power play.

Luke Evangelista of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Luke Evangelista of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

If the 2018 preseason was an indication of things to follow, then there should have been a lot of optimism surrounding Evangelista. As has been said multiple times here, playing on a Dale Hunter squad is more about developing a player in all aspects of the game rather then just handing a spot to someone. But the transition to the OHL, at least offensively, wasn’t kind to him as he dressed for 27 games and notched just 2 assists.

What did happen however, is Evangelista learned how important playing a 200-foot game is and there aren’t many better to learn from then Coach Hunter.

Watch Evangelista, along with teammate Antonio Stranges talk about that first year and the process a young player goes through with the Knights here.

It has been quite the second season for Evangelista as he appeared in 62 games when the OHL seasons was paused due to the corona virus. He’s scored 23 goals while adding 38 helpers and is a plus-15 on the season. He sits among the top 10 draft eligible players in assists, points and plus/minus.

There is no “ugly” to Evangelista’s game, but there is some work to be done. First and foremost, he needs to get stronger. While the willingness to battle along the wall and drive to the net is there, he gets overpowered frequently by stronger players. Yet, there is no hesitation in him and as he adds some muscle, he will begin to win his share of those battles.

What we do like about Evangelista is his hockey IQ. He sees the ice extremely well and can anticipate what is going to happen. His positioning is excellent both in the offensive zone and the defensive zone. Combined with his excellent playmaking abilities, he’s able to set up teammates for quality scoring chances. He’s dangerous when he slows down the game and assesses quickly the options available. Making those same plays at top speed however, isn’t something displayed that often. He does get some powerplay time in London and usually sets up shop from the half wall where he can distribute pretty much at will.

Evangelista has also become effective on the penalty kill. As mentioned, his positioning and anticipation are excellent, but his stick positioning is also excellent, using it very effectively to take away lanes and shots. Again, that all comes under the tutelage of Hunter and the coaching staff.

It’s not always easy to gauge the potential of a young London Knights’ player who is in their draft year. For the most part, the Knights are often a deep, talented team and these youngsters play a depth role until their draft plus one year. But if you watch Evangelista often enough, you can see that the tools, and the tool box are there and they are just waiting to burst out when the opportunity arises.

Since the start of this season, we’ve believed Evangelista was worth second round consideration at the 2020 National Hockey League Draft when teams assemble in Montreal. NHL Central Scouting agrees (finally?) as they initially had him ranked as a C Prospect (typically a 4th, 5th or 6th round option) and moved him up to a B Prospect in November (2nd or 3rd round) and finally 58th overall amongst North American skaters on their mid-term rankings. That still puts him in the third round, but someone will give him some real consideration prior to that.

He deserves it.

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month for February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Much like it was for us in the month of January, selecting one performance over another  for our draft eligible player of the month was a difficult task once again in February. And this time, we have a different outcome.

Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67’s becomes the third time winner as our choice as the top performer among players eligible for the National Hockey League Draft.

Rossi, who leads the Ontario Hockey League in assists (73) and points (108) appeared in 13 games through the month of February and tallied 6 goals to go along with 17 assists. Despite putting up amazing offensive numbers in those 13 games, Rossi was only named a game’s star twice, receiving 1 first star honor and one second star mention.

Rossi, Marco
Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67’s. Photo by OHL Images

Following close behind Rossi was teammate Jack Quinn who potted 8 goals while assisting on 11 others through February. But unlike Rossi, the powers at be found Quinn to do enough to be named the game’s second star on 4 different occasions.

Also considered was Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit with 8 goals and 11 assists in 11 games. Honorable mention has to go to James Hardie of the Mississauga Steelheads with 6 goals and 7 assists in 10 games and Kingston Frontenacs’ Zayde Wisdom with 7 goals and 9 assists in 13 games played.

In goal, Brett Brochu continues to shine. Brochu appeared in 8 games with a 7-1-0-0 record while stopping 244 of 264 shots for an impressive .924 save percentage and a 2.38 goals-against-average.

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Players of the Month

February – Marco Rossi – Ottawa 67’s

January – Cole Perfetti – Saginaw Spirit

December – Marco Rossi – Ottawa 67’s

November – Marco Rossi – Ottawa 67’s

October – Cole Perfetti – Saginaw Spirit

OHL Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders for February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Not since the 2014-2015 season has a pair of Ontario Hockey League’s draft eligible players finished one-two in the league’s scoring race when then teammates Dylan Strome and Connor McDavid accomplished it.

It had been 5 years prior to the Otters’ teammates finished one-two when Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers and Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires finished the 2009-2010 season tied atop the league with 106 points apiece.

So why not keep the 5-year cycle going? Well, with 22 days remaining in the 2019-2020 season, we find ourselves exactly in that situation. Not only do Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67’s and Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit rank first and second in the points race among draft eligible players, but they are the top two among all skaters in the OHL.

The dynamic pair also sit atop the entire league in assists while Rossi also sits at the top of the heap with an astounding plus/minus of plus-64. Barring an incredible last 10 games or so, Rossi’s teammate Jack Quinn looks like he will be the only draft eligible player to reach 50 goals.

Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Here are the leaders among draft eligible players as of February 29th. As always, we take great care in compiling stats, however, always refer to the OHL website for official stats.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s 52 35 73 108
Cole Perfetti Saginaw Spirit 58 36 67 103
Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s 58 47 35 82
Quinton Byfield Sudbury Wolves 41 32 44 76
Tyson Foerster Barrie Colts 57 32 42 74
Jacob Perreault Sarnia Sting 54 36 30 66
Ty Tullio Oshawa Generals 59 26 37 63
James Hardie Mississauga Steelheads 55 33 27 60
Zayde Wisdom Kingston Frontenacs 58 28 30 58
Luke Evangelista London Knights 57 22 36 58
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s 58 47 0.81
Cole Perfetti Saginaw Spirit 58 36 0.62
Jacob Perreault Sarnia Sting 54 36 0.67
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s 52 35 0.67
James Hardie Mississauga Steelheads 55 33 0.60
Quinton Byfield Sudbury Wolves 41 32 0.78
Tyson Foerster Barrie Colts 57 32 0.56
Rory Kerins Soo Greyhounds 60 29 0.48
Zayde Wisdom Kingston Frontenacs 58 28 0.48
Ty Tullio Oshawa Generals 59 26 0.44
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s 52 73 1.40
Cole Perfetti Saginaw Spirit 58 67 1.16
Quinton Byfield Sudbury Wolves 41 44 1.07
Tyson Foerster Barrie Colts 57 42 0.74
Ty Tullio Oshawa Generals 59 37 0.63
Luke Evangelista London Knights 57 36 0.63
Jamie Drysdale Erie Otters 45 35 0.78
Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s 58 35 0.60
Brandon Coe North Bay Battalion 56 32 0.57
Jacob Perreault Sarnia Sting 54 30 0.56
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Jamie Drysdale Erie Otters 45 9 35 44
Ryan O’Rourke Soo Greyhounds 50 7 28 35
Jack Thompson Sudbury Wolves 59 13 17 30
Ruben Rafkin Windsor Spitfires 55 3 26 29
Donovan Sebrango Kitchener Rangers 52 6 22 28
Isaak Phillips Sudbury Wolves 59 9 16 25
Cameron Supryka Hamilton Bulldogs 53 3 18 21
Ole Bjorgvik-Holm Mississauga Steelheads 52 2 16 18
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s 52 +64
Cole Perfetti Saginaw Spirit 58 +46
Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s 58 +43
Quinton Byfield Sudbury Wolves 41 +23
Anthony Costantini Ottawa 67’s 55 +15
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Hayden Fowler Erie Otters 49 78 1.59
Ryan O’Rourke Soo Greyhounds 50 73 1.46
Gerard Keane London Knights 51 62 1.22
Ruben Rafkin Windsor Spitfires 55 59 1.07
Reid Valade Kitchener Rangers 49 57 1.16
Faceoff Leaders 
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s 52 1099 647 58.9
Isaak Langdon Kitchener Rangers 50 455 245 53.8
Rory Kerins Soo Greyhounds 60 1101 586 53.2
Quinton Byfield Sudbury Wolves 41 548 281 51.3
Hayden Fowler Erie Otters 49 445 224 50.3
Longest Goal Scoring Streak
Player Team From To Gms Goals
Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s Dec 6 Jan 2 8 12
Longest Assist Streak
Player Team From To Gms Assts
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s Nov 16 Dec 28 11 17
Longest Point Streak
Player Team From To Gms Pts
Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s Nov 10 Jan 10 18 48
Shots On Goal Leaders
Player Team GP SOG
James Hardie Mississauga Steelheads 55 242
Cole Perfetti Saginaw Spirit 58 235
Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s 58 215
Tyson Foerster Barrie Colts 57 206
Ty Tullio Oshawa Generals 59 201
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
Brett Brochu London Knights 39 2031 84 2.48
Nick Chenard Owen Sound Attack 12 622 31 2.99
Will Cranley Ottawa 67’s 19 1098 56 3.06
Zachary Paputsakis Oshawa Generals 32 1520 82 3.24
Xavier Medina Windsor Spitfires 35 1861 110 3.55
Aidan Campbell Erie Otters 26 1365 83 3.65
Owen Bennett Guelph Storm 25 1412 89 3.78
Tucker Tynan Niagara IceDogs 23 1296 82 3.80
Nick Malik Soo Greyhounds 14 771 52 4.05
Marco Costantini Hamilton Bulldogs 32 1732 118 4.09
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player Team GP SH SVS SV%
Brett Brochu London Knights 39 1028 944 0.918
Tucker Tynan Niagara IceDogs 23 916 834 0.910
Nick Chenard Owen Sound Attack 12 328 297 0.905
Zachary Paputsakis Oshawa Generals 32 814 732 0.899
Will Cranley Ottawa 67’s 19 497 441 0.887
Owen Bennett Guelph Storm 25 778 689 0.886
Xavier Medina Windsor Spitfires 35 952 840 0.882
Marco Costantini Hamilton Bulldogs 32 980 862 0.880
Nick Malik Soo Greyhounds 14 418 366 0.876
Aidan Campbell Erie Otters 26 648 565 0.872
Goaltending Leaders – Wins
Player Team GP W L OL
Brett Brochu London Knights 39 28 6 0
Will Cranley Ottawa 67’s 19 16 2 0
Xavier Medina Windsor Spitfires 35 16 10 3
Tucker Tynan Niagara IceDogs 23 11 8 4
Zachary Paputsakis Oshawa Generals 32 11 8 5
Aidan Campbell Erie Otters 26 10 8 5
Marco Costantini Hamilton Bulldogs 32 10 13 6
Owen Bennett Guelph Storm 25 9 13 2
Nick Chenard Owen Sound Attack 12 5 4 1
Tye Austin Peterbrorough Petes 16 5 7 1
Goaltending Leaders – Shutouts
Player Team GP SO
Will Cranley Ottawa 67’s 19 3
Brett Brochu London Knights 39 2
Nick Chenard Owen Sound Attack 12 1
Aidan Campbell Erie Otters 26 1
Zachary Paputsakis Oshawa Generals 32 1

Will Cuylle – Windsor Spitfires – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 202 Pounds

Date of birth: May 2, 2002

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Position: Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 3rd overall (Peterborough Petes) 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final

A Prospect

A Prospect

21 NA

34 N.A.

 

Windsor Spitfires left winger Will Cuylle played his Minor Midget AAA hockey during the 2017-2018 season with the Toronto Marlboros where he registered 33 goals and 29 assists in 43 games. He added 9 goals and 3 assists for Toronto in 6 games at the OHL Cup, leading the tournament in points and was named to the all-star team.

The Peterborough Petes called Cuylle’s name out with the third pick at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. OHL Central Scouting had this to say about Cuylle at the time:

William is your prototypical power forward that combines size, skill and skating. He is a powerful skater that gets to top speed quickly and has deceiving speed as most defenders don’t expect such a big forward to move as effortlessly as he does. His puck skills are elite and he has turned nothing into something on numerous occasions this season. He shoots the puck better than most junior players already. He has a lightning quick release with a very accurate shot.

But Cuylle would never where the Pete’s jersey as the Spitfires acquired him for 6 draft picks and a conditional 7th pick on August 31, 2018.

Will Cuylle of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Will Cuylle of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images.

During his rookie season with the Spitfires, Cuylle appeared in all but 5 games scoring 26 goals and 15 assists. He added 2 goals and a helper in 4 playoff games. He was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team at the end of the season. Cuylle also represented Canada Black at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17. He scored twice and added an assist in 5 games.

Cuylle began this season with a solid but unspectacular performance with Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He posted 2 goals and an assist in 5 games as Canada captured a silver medal. While we saw him as an early second round possibility, NHL Central Scouting had seen enough to rank him as an A prospect (first round potential) on their pre-season and November rankings. On their mid-term rankings, they list him at 21st among North American Skaters, which would make him one of the first picks in the second round.

With 18 goals and 19 assists through 56 games this season, Cuylle’s offensive numbers are not at the level we would have liked to see them or anticipated. His goal production has dipped from .41 goals per game a year ago to .32 goals per game. And while his assists per game have gone from .23 per game to .33 per game, his points per game have gone virtually unchanged (.65 to .66).

Despite not taking the next step offensively, we are impressed with the package and the potential Cuylle has. Everyone is looking for the next power forward, and Cuylle could be that next one. He has taken remarkable strides in using his big frame and strength almost to the point that the opposition has to be aware when he is on the ice. He hits hard, yet clean and looks to finish his check each and every time, something that was lacking early in the season.

You have to love Cuylle’s shot. Its hard, heavy and has an incredible release. It was an NHL shot a year ago and is even better now. If I have a knock on it, it is that he doesn’t utilize it as he should. He’s looking to be the playmaker more then the shooter now, and while he is capable of setting up teammates, his strength is his shot. That can partially explain the drop in goal production as well.

Cuylle is an intelligent player who understands the defensive game and is near perfect in his defensive positioning. He is very adept at breaking up the opposition plays especially when they are trying to enter the zone. He is also very effective on the PK.

We don’t see first line potential for Cuylle at the next level. His upside is that of a second line power forward who can give you second unit powerplay time as well as on the penalty kill.

Antonio Stranges – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 178 pounds

Date of birth: February 5, 2002

Hometown: Plymouth, Michigan

Position: Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 21st overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final

A Prospect

A Prospect

39 NA

56 N.A.

 

Antonio Stranges played for both Little Caesars Under-16 and Under-18 squads during the 2017-2018 season and there was a lot of promise heading into the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority selection where the London Knights selected him with the first pick in the second round of the draft.

The promise that was tagged to Stranges was so high, that OHL Central Scouting had this to say about him prior to the draft:

Antonio is one of the most skilled players in this year’s Priority Selection. He is a player that has the ability to take over a game and he did this on numerous occasions this season. He is an electric skater with breakaway speed. His skill set and his ability to read the play allow him to create scoring chances almost at will. He is a natural playmaker that makes everyone around him better. He sees the play developing well before others and he is very creative with the puck on his stick.

Stranges broke into the OHL a season ago and appeared in 66 games scoring 13 goals and adding 21 assists. He would add 2 helpers in the Knights 11 playoff contests.

Antonio Stranges of the London Knights. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Iimages.

To date this season, Stranges has appeared in 51 games scoring 18 goals and 20 assists. And despite being a second-year player and truly an offensively gifted player, he doesn’t get the prime minutes with the Knights because of the depth they have. And that is almost always the motto of a Dale Hunter coached team: learn the 200-foot game.

The first thing you notice about Stranges is his skating. While OHL Central Scouting called it electric, I call it elite. He has superb edgework, and uncanny ability to slow down and speed up and has top level speed and first steps. However, if there is one knock I have on his skating, it’s that he uses the 10-2 that we seen the likes of Ryan Spooner and others use way too often. While he can get away with using it as often as he does at this level, he’s going to have to pick his spots at the next level.

The next thing you notice is his puck handling skills. It’s almost as though he has the puck on a string and he can work magic with it. Once he’s in possession, it is difficult to separate him from the puck. But I do have a small knock on him there as well. He too often plays the game on the outside, looking to make plays from the outside rather then going into the high scoring areas. He’s capable of it, but I think to be successful at the next level, he has to be near elite to do so, and he’s not quite there. He’ll need to find a balance and maybe the confidence to drive to danger areas will come once he adds to his 5’10”, 178-pound frame.

Stranges has very good vision and playmaking abilities, and he can play patiently. He has the ability to slow things down, draw people to him and use his patience to allow a play to develop and dish the puck with accuracy.

Playing a 200ft game is something Stranges is going to have to develop. Too often I find the lack of effort to backcheck and defend frustrating. And may be a reason Coach Hunter doesn’t give him prime minutes. It’s not something to be overly concerned about as many a player has shown to find that part of their game as they mature. But it is something that will make your draft stock drop in the meantime.

The last issue is consistency. I haven’t seen it enough to date, but if he can find it through the end of the season and through the playoffs, it could go a long way in maintaining his draft position.

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month for January

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

In the years that I have been doing this, I don’t ever recall a month like January where so many players could have been chosen our Draft Eligible Player of the Month. Tyson Foerster, Luke Evangelista, Brett Brochu, James Hardie, Ty Tullio, Jack Quinn, Marco Rossi, Cole Perfetti and Quinton Byfield were all, for different reasons, deserving.

Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

We settled on Mr Consistency, Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit for the second time this season.

Through 13 games in the month of January, Perfetti found the back of the net 8 times while assisting on 21 others and finishing a plus-16. He was held off the score sheet just once, a January 15th matchup against the Soo Greyhounds. In the 12 remaining contests, 9 were multi point games.

Perfetti was named the game’s first star 3 times and the game’s third star twice. But let’s not get into the Ontario Hockey League’s three-star selection process.

Serious consideration was given to London Knights netminder Brendan Brochu. The rookie keeper appeared in 9 games in January winning all of them while posting a sparkling 1.89 goals-against-average and a .940 save-percentage.

Foerster appeared in 11 games scoring 8 goals and assisting on 9 others. Evangelista scored 6 goals and 11 assists in 11 games, Hardie 12 goals and 8 assists in 11 games, Tullio 7 goals and 9 assists in 13 games, Quinn 17 goals and 7 assists in 12 games, Rossi 6 goals and 16 assists in 12 games and Byfield 7 goals and 6 assists in 7 games.

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Players of the Month

January – Cole Perfetti – Saginaw Spirit

December – Marco Rossi – Ottawa 67’s

November – Marco Rossi – Ottawa 67’s

October – Cole Perfetti – Saginaw Spirit

Tyler Tullio – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 166 pounds

Date of birth: April 5, 2002

Hometown: Lakeshore, Ontario

Position: Right

Shoots: Center/Wing

OHL Draft: Round 1, 11th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 54 N.A. 52 N.A.

 

Tyler “Ty” Tullio played his minor midget AAA for the Vaughan Kings during the 2017-2018 season in which he scored 38 goals and 51 assists in 50 games. He would also add 5 goals and 5 assists in 7 games for the Kings at the OHL Cup.

Tullio would be selected 11th overall at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection by the Oshawa Generals, owned by his father Rocco. Whether that had any bearing on the selection is irrelevant. Tullio was absolutely deserving. At the time of the draft, this is what OHL Central Scouting had to say about Tullio:

Tyler is a competitive player that would do almost anything to score a goal or win a hockey game. He is a good skater that can beat defenders wide and win loose puck battles all over the ice. He possesses a junior level shot already. It’s hard, accurate and he gets it on net very quickly. Tyler competes very hard each shift and isn’t shy to battle against the bigger defenders and usually comes out with the puck. He is a ‘Gamer’ and the type of player you win with.

Ty Tullio of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ty Tullio of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Tullio made the Generals roster out of camp for the 2018-2019 season. He played in 60 games scoring 15 goals and 42 points and was named to the Second All-Rookie squad. Tullio also represented Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and in 5 games contributed a helper for Team Black.

Through 40 games this season, Tullio has registered 18 goals and 44 points already surpassing his totals from a year ago.

At 5’11” and just 166 pounds, Tullio needs to add some much-needed muscle. It’s hard to imagine how Central Scouting’s scouting report on him could have possibly been the case with his frame. But make no mistake about it, it is pretty much deadly accurate.

Tullio’s work ethic is as good as it gets and it is contagious. When teammates see him giving his all with each shift, they just want to carry it on. He’s always willing to battle to get positioning with much bigger opponents. He does not shy away from getting in on the forecheck and causing havoc for defenders.

He’s a very good skater with good speed. He’s willing to take on defenders wide but knows his limits. He maneuvers with relative ease and has good edgework. He gets in on battles quickly and surprisingly, wins many of those battles. I can only imagine how much better he’ll be when he adds that strength/bulk.

You’ve also got to like Tullio’s shot. He has a very quick and deadly release and gets a lot behind his shot with accuracy. But he’s not just a shooter. He always seems to make the right play when dishing to teammates. He sees the ice so well and sees plays developing, but he won’t force a play if he’s not sure it’s there.

I think one area he needs to improve on his decisions without the puck. That’s not to say he makes bad decisions, but in certain situations he could be more assertive in his decision making. He’s still very you with an April birthdate and the majority of his draft class are older. The issue should become a non-issue as he gets older.

I’m also not sure I agree or disagree with Central Scouting ranking Tullio 54th among North American Skaters. That puts him in the middle of the third round for the National Hockey League Draft. NHL Central Scouting had him listed as a C Prospect in the preseason which means a fourth, fifth or sixth rounder (we had him as a B Prospect). So, he has climbed on their rankings.

The problem is this: The second round of the NHL Draft group is very deep, not with just OHL players, but from all over the world. It’s going to be a tough group to break into.