The OHL Regular season opens in a couple of weeks. Today we look at some of the players to watch around the league.
Barrie – Peter DiSalvo (Goaltender): DiSalvo takes over again as the Colts starting goaltender with the trade of Mavric Parks to Saginaw earlier this summer. With the amount of turnover from last year, DiSalvo should expect to see a lot of shots this winter and will be a key to any success in Barrie this winter.
Belleville – Michael Curtis (Centre); Austen Brassard (Right Wing): After a successful rookie season on a struggling team, Curtis can expect to be an important piece of the Bulls offense. Brassard, picked up from Windsor last season, will also have a major impact on the re-building process.
Brampton – Jacob Riley (Goaltender): Another goaltender who finds himself on the hotseat, Riley is taking over for Patrick Killeen, who turns pro this season. Riley is one of just two 17-year-olds expected to assume the starting role with their respective teams (Tyson Teichmann of Belleville is the other).
Erie – Andrew Yogan (Centre): The New York Rangers prospect will look to become a more consistent scoring threat for the Otters as one of the elder statesmen of the team.
Guelph – Peter Holland (Centre); Taylor Beck (Right Wing): A team that struggled last winter, Holland and Beck are expected to carry the offensive load and provide leadership to a young core.
Kingston – Taylor Doherty (Right Defense): With the graduation of Brian Lashoff, Doherty will be looked to even further as an anchor on the blueline. Should Erik Gudbranson stick with the Florida Panthers, Doherty will carry even more of a load.
Kitchener – Julian Melchiori (Left Defense): Picked up in a trade from Oshawa, Melchiori turned down a scholarship to the University of Massachusetts (Lowell) to play with the Rangers. A late birthdate, Melchiori adds a veteran presence to a solid group of defensemen.
London – Jarred Tinordi (Left Defense): The Montreal prospect helps shore up a blueline that lost Steven Tarasuk to graduation and saw Matt Ashman dealt earlier this summer.
Mississauga – JP Anderson (Goaltender): Passed over in the 2010 NHL Draft, Anderson will look to bounce back and prove scouts wrong this season. And what a better way to do it than taking over the starting role for the Memorial Cup hosts.
Niagara – Ryan Strome (Right Wing); Mark Visentin (Goaltender): Strome was a key piece of the trade that saw the IceDogs deal Alex Pietrangelo to Barrie. For Visentin, 2010-11 will be a chance for him to prove that his early selection in the NHL Draft wasn’t a mistake.
Oshawa – Boone Jenner (Centre); Colin Suellentrop (Right Defense): Both Jenner and Suellentrop are expected to be selected in the top four rounds of next summer’s NHL Draft.
Ottawa – Tyler Toffoli (Right Wing): The Los Angeles prospect will look to get off to a good start this year and carry it out for a full season. The 18-year-old had a tough start last year and had to work through some injuries but finished the year strong.
Owen Sound – Joey Hishon (Centre): Hishon missed time due to injury last season and managed to put up solid numbers offensively. He impressed scouts enough to be selected in the first round by Colorado in June. An injury-free season will allow him to really show what he’s capable of.
Peterborough – Jason Missiaen (Goaltender): Unsigned by the Montreal Canadiens after being drafted in 2008, Missisaen is playing for a contract this winter.
Plymouth – Scott Wedgewood (Goaltender): Remember his performance in the playoffs against Windsor? This winter will be a chance for him to prove he is every bit as good as he looked in that game.
Saginaw – Brandon Saad (Left Wing): Saad was Saginaw’s first round pick in 2008. After two years playing south of the border, Saad joins Saginaw as a potential top five pick in next summer’s NHL Draft.
Sarnia – John Cullen (Goaltender); Shayne Campbell (Goaltender); Jesse Raymond (Goaltender): Plain and simple, one of these three will take the starters role for the Sting. The only question is which one?
Sault Ste. Marie – Brandon Archibald (Right Defense); Brock Beukeboom (Right Defense): After pairing with Michael Quesnele and Jacob Muzzin on the top two defense pairings last season, Archibald and Beukeboom will now anchor the blueline.
Sudbury – John McFarland (Centre): Will the real John McFarland please stand up? The Florida prospect has plenty of skill but doesn’t show it nearly enough.
Windsor – Jack Campbell (Goaltender): Not to add to the pressure of being a first round NHL prospect, but Campbell is the goaltender for a team looking to become the first in CHL history to win three-straight Memorial Cups.
