ITO Hot-Stove: Who is the best draft eligible player in the Ontario Hockey League?

Considering we at InTheORadio.com have been debating who the best teams and goaltenders in the league are as of late, I figured it was time to examine who the best  draft eligible player in the OHL is. There was one condition: nobody could select Nail Yakupov as most, if not all of us, would select him which would make the Hot-Stove pretty plain. Joining me in this week's hot-stove is Thayne Hallyburton, Jason Ray, Brandon Sudeyko, Phil Phillips and Alex Quevillon.

Without further ado I'd like to introduce you all to this week's debate question: who is the best draft eligible player in the OHL (besides Nail Yakupov)?

Todd Cordell

My choice for this question will be another member of the Sarnia Sting (go figure). I'm going to go with Alex Galchenyuk. He has all the tools you look for in a player and took the OHL by storm last year. His skill set is unbelievable and his hockey IQ is through the roof. I truly believe that if he were healthy and had been playing all season long he'd be up there with Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko. Luckily for Galchenyuk, there's a solid chance that he can return to the Sting's lineup in time for the end of the regular season and their playoff run.

Thayne Hallyburton

Matt Finn.

I know people will look at a high-end guy like Alex Galchenyuk or Cody Ceci but Matt Finn is so dynamic. He is the best all-round defender
available in this draft besides Ryan Murray. He has an innate ability to find space on the ice. He is like a veteran down low in how he handles guys much bigger than him. Finn also has a lot of offensive upside, as he matures, so too will his shot and he will begin to jump into the rush even more. You can see his confidence growing over time and as it grows he will start to take a few more risks. Matt Finn's game is extremely similar to Nicklas Lidstrom's game. Not a bad guy to be compared to.

Jason Ray

I have to say Malcolm Subban of the Belleville Bulls. This is a deep draft so there's going too be a ton of offensive and defensive talent. But Malcolm Subban looks like this kid is going too be a stud in between the pipes. Ask the Tampa Bay Lightning how important goaltending is. As most of you know, they went from a deep playoff run too "see ya" - back too the basement they went.

Brandon Sudeyko

While other players are making them case, I still believe in the Sarnia Duo as 1-2 from the OHL. Yes a Subban is close, a few defenceman even. But after what Alex achieved last year, how do you discredit what he is? You saw him as a 16 year old completely destroy the competition. He was bigger and stronger than the year prior. Yes, he has played what 3 games this season? Take a look at his high ceiling of potential and talent. No one can come close to it (except Nail). Where several players can move up and down while playing, I don't find any reason to keep yo-yoing Galchenyuk. Number 2 in the OHL hands down. Could have been one but injuries happen.

Phil Phillips

The best draft eligible OHL player other than Nail Yakupov is Belleville Bulls Center Brendan Gaunce.

Gaunce has what it takes to become an NHL player, both on and off the ice, from skills, to diet, to attitude, he's the real deal and will play in the NHL. Its up to him whats role he plays when he gets there. Brendan is a big (6'2" 215lbs), physical forward who has speed and scoring touch but also plays well defensively. He thrives playing under Coach George Burnett and his two way system. He will join the impressive list of Forwards that Burnett has developed, like Keith Primeau, Manny Malhotra, Nathan Horton, and former Bulls Shawn Matthias, and Matt Beleskey. If he adds a little more grit to his game.

Brendan put up 55 goals and 93 assists in 86 games in 09-10.  Great totals that made him the highest-scoring player of his age in Ontario that season. That season also seen him captain the same minor midget team, the Markham Waxers, he grew up watching his brother Cameron Gaunce a Colorado draft pick play for. Brendan won a Gold Medal with Team Canada in 2011 at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament. This season he was invited to play and wear an "A" in the Top Prospects game. He currently wears a "A" with the Belleville Bulls and is the fans pick to wear the "C" next season. Next year he will get a real good look from Team Canada's World Jr Team selection committee. "As a young man, he’s very mature, very focused, very dedicated...he doesn't have a chink in his armour." is how Bulls assistant coach Jake Grimes has described him.

He currently leads the Bulls in scoring this season. Next year even when continuing to play in a defensive system he should be a top ten OHL point producer. Every year he gets better and better at both ends of the ice, something that makes NHL teams take notice. Two way players have never been as important as they are in today's Pro Game. He fits the bill, and it would surprise few he is drafted very early this June in Pittsburgh.

Honourable Mention to Radek Faksa of the Kitchener Rangers.

Alex Quevillon

Although he isn't eligible in this question, I just have to throw in that Nail Yakupov IS the #1, and I don't know why Grigorenko is being mentioned as a candidate to go first. It's going to be the Fail for Nail with NHL teams losing now, not the fail for Mikhail. 

But after Yakupov and, potentially Galchenyuk as we haven't seen enough of him to come to a verdict, I would love to pick a defenceman but I'm going to have to go with Brendan Gaunce.  Gaunce might not be the most stunning player on the ice at all times, but he's as solid as they come at the age of 17.  Last season, scouts said that Gabriel Landeskog reminded them of Mike Richards but down the middle.  Well, I don't think Gaunce-Richards is quite a fair comparison, but I see a lot of Landeskog in Gaunce's game, of course with Brendan being a center.  Gaunce is the most NHL ready in this draft, I believe.

Honourable mention to Ceci and Koekkoek - most drafts I would peg the defenceman over the forward no matter what.  The offensive talent in this draft makes me think otherwise, but I still do believe that these two Ottawa-area-born d-men will go higher than expected.  

Ottawa 67's Split homestand

by Alex Quevillon

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The Ottawa 67’s (26-11-4-1) split a two-game weekend and pull into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.  The Niagara Ice Dogs briefly pulled even with Ottawa, but a Sunday win gave the Barberpoles the advantage. 

Friday, January 13 vs. Peterborough

The Peterborough Petes recovered from a rough start on Friday night to register their first win in their divisional rivalry with the 67’s this season.  Ottawa had taken the previous four meetings.  Andrew D’Agostini made 27 saves to preserve the win for Peterborough (20-17-3-3).

Early on, it seemed as though Ottawa had the Petes on the ropes, taking advantage of a tired opponent that had lost at home the night before and had to travel through a treacherous Eastern-Ontario storm.  The newest member of the 67’s, Mike Cazzola, only needed twelve seconds to make his presence felt, scoring his third of the season to give Ottawa the early advantage.

Ottawa continued to pour it on in the first ten minutes, and Shane Prince gave them a two-goal advantage with his 20th of the season.    After that, the Barberpoles seemed all too happy to coast with the lead.  The visitors had other plans.

Before the first period was done, Joey West got Peterborough on the board with a powerplay marker, his 15th of the year.  Luke Hietkamp had the only tally in the second period, an unassisted, shorthanded goal to draw even.

West continued to contribute, setting up Andrew Yogan for the go-ahead goal in the final frame.  Prince scored his second of the night, assisted by Cazzola, to tie the game but it was short-lived.  23 seconds later, Ottawa-born Alan Quine put the Petes ahead for good.

Yogan was taken down on an empty-net breakaway by John McFarland and credited with the goal.  Yogan, an overager, is having a solid start to 2012 with five goals in his last six games.

This game did not feature a re-match between heavyweights Dalton Smith and Derek Mathers, who have fought each other three times in their OHL career, despite Ottawa captain Marc-Anthony Zanetti being decked by a questionable hit from behind from Mathers.  The game did have its fair share of nastiness however.

Brett Gustavsen took on the much taller Stephen Pierog in a short but spirited second-period bout.  Pierog landed more shots, but Gustavsen knocked Pierog down with a big left hand, call it a draw.  The Petes may be without Cole Murdoff after this weekend; he dropped the gloves with Ryan Van Stralen, ripping the rookie’s helmet off.  Van Stralen found out about the helmet infraction the hard way, receiving a two-game suspension earlier in the season for removing the helmet of Owen Sound’s Kurtis Gabriel.

Petr Mrazek made 26 saves in his first loss since the quarterfinals at the World Juniors.

Sunday, January 15 vs. Belleville

Petr Mrazek had a huge bounce back game with 25 saves, while Jake Cardwell scored twice and Tyler Toffoli recorded his 300th OHL point to help Ottawa coast to a 6-1 win over Belleville, their third win against the Bulls in eight days.

For the second game in a row, the 67’s came out flying.  They didn’t take this lead for granted, however.  Cardwell snuck in from the point to open the scoring at 7:47 of the first period.  Within five minutes, Tyler Toffoli and Shane Prince had opened up the lead to three.  In the second, Dalton Smith, who collected the puck after the second goal to commemorate Toffoli’s 300th point, tipped home a Cody Ceci point shot to give Ottawa a 4-0 advantage.

Cardwell scored his second of the game, after Tyler Graovac made a nifty play to set him up.  Joseph Cramarossa ruined Mrazek’s shutout bid but before the period was up, Mike Cazzola scored his second goal in as many games, giving Ottawa a 6-1 lead that they would carry through the final period for the win.

Mrazek made 37 saves and has only allowed six goals in his last five starts.  At the other end, Charlie Graham stayed in through all six goals and finished the day with 34 stops for the Bulls (22-19-1-0), who fall to third in the division and seventh in the conference.

Final thoughts:

-Ottawa’s new “second” line is clicking perfectly.  Shane Prince had three goals and three assists with his new line.  Mike Cazzola has already added two goals and three assists while John McFarland, who has switched jersey numbers (wore 26 last weekend, 21 this weekend), had an assist of his own.

-Cazzola, as expected, brings a lot of what Cody Lindsay brought last year as an overaged second-line center.  Not a lot of size, but he’s going to finish every check, battle for pucks and create open ice for his linemates.  He scored twice this weekend but look for him to be Ottawa’s primary playmaker from here on out.  Cazzola, by the way, is wearing number 39.

-Rookie Mike Vlajkov continues to improve and receive more icetime, but his solid play is being overshadowed by that of Jake Cardwell.  With or without his two goals, Cardwell was still Ottawa’s best defenceman.  Ottawa’s new forwards are nice to have, but they are getting a lot of scoring from the blueline as well.  Cody Ceci is second to only Dougie Hamilton in points by a defenceman, while Cardwell is tied for tenth.

-Ryan Van Stralen stayed on the bench, but was not playing amongst his regular linemates Tyler Graovac and Steven Janes at the end of the third period.  No word yet as to whether they were simply double-shifting Toffoli or if there was anything with Van Stralen.  Dalton Smith was shaken up after taking a Vlajkov shot to the upper body but didn’t appear to miss a shift.

-The 67’s and Petes will square off again on Thursday in Peterborough, before the 67’s return home to take on the Oshawa Generals.