TEAM BLACK
35 Anthony Bertucca (G) – good debut performance
1 Justin Fazio (G) – solid
2 Alex Black (LD) – status quo for Black.
3 Zach Core (LD) – continues to be one of my favourite Sting defenders…will this be the year he breaks out? Is there enough offensive opportunity for him to do that? I hope so.
4 Kelton Hatcher (LD) – did a lot of little things well …he was paired with Jacobs which surely helped him feel more comfortable but he was solid….his footwork looks like it could improve to help him adjust to the OHL speed
5 Josh Jacobs (RD) – Came as advertised – Shutdown defender with the ability to physically engage…Interested to see if how he will transition offensively…passing looks legit but it doesn’t appear he will be leading the offensive rush (ala Chychrun, King or even Spinozzi)
6 Nash Nienhuis (LD) – was actually quite sound given his late draft status…not a big defender but he maintains good positioning…didn’t make any mistakes and got his feet wet in his first OHL camp – Success!
7 Ryan Porter (LD) – hesitant…very slight build
9 Curtis Egert (LW) – raw winger who looked a bit overwhelmed (to be expected) but he did flash some eye opening offensive tools…used his lengthy reach well and unloaded a couple quick shots on the rush.
12 Hayden Hodgson (RW)- good energy today
13 Troy Lajeunesse (C) – had flashes but didn’t establish himself this morning as much as he has in the past…Black didn’t click today
16 Anthony Salinitri (C) – didn’t notice him much today
18 Zach Ribau (C) – big fan of Ribau’s game…very poised under pressure…reacts quick and executes tough passes under pressure…probably projects as a Daniel Nikandrov type of player who takes care of his end first and foremost…he’s close to making this team.
19 Patrick White (LW) – scored a few goals but I’m still waiting for him to emerge as a consistent offensive option.
TEAM GOLD
29 Aidan Hughes (G) – looks like a seasoned vet…have to love his size and overall demeanour between the pipes. It’s rare for 16 year old goaltenders to play in the OHL but he might be the exception.
30 Jean-Pascal Sabourin (G) – excellent showing today…he’s not big but he gets it done.
2 Brett Banwell (LD) – confident puck mover….didn’t step out of his comfort zone but I can tell there’s more upside here…assuming he makes a Jr B squad, I think he’s poised for a big year as a puck mover.
3 Josh De Farias (LD) – appeared eager to make his mark today…was playing with lots of jump in his game….really engeged…he’s battling Black, Schlichting, O’Donnell and Sproviero for the final few spots. Really played well today.
4 Francesco Luca (LD) – not sure he’s progressed in the areas he needed to…where’s the nastiness? Skating remains a work in progress….often skates to areas where he becomes trapped with limited options. He’s still young so this will be a big year for him.
6 Jake O’Donnell (RD) – Mr. Steady Eddy back there…simple transition game…he’ll look to eat some heavy defensive minutes this year.
8 Matthew Kellenberger (RD) –NAILED in open ice and had to leave the ice (right knee injury) …the injury is unfortunate because he was one of the standouts in the opening scrimmage…he’s raw and a bit gangly (skinny off ice too) but he reads the opposition very well…hopefully he’s not sidelined too long.
9 Kevin Spinozzi (LD) - looks lighter and more mobile…jumped into offensive action quite a bit…shot looks as dangerous as ever but hitting the net will be an area to work on
5 Chayse Herrfort (C; FA) – impressive free agent invite…played a simple yet effective game…understands the game well and seemed to have no problem adjusting to different linemate styles.
10 Noah Bushnell (RW) – is there another level? …flashes some nifty puck skills at times but also makes some gaffes…he’s an impact player but I keep hoping that he’ll break out
11 Jordan Kyrou (RC) – most dynamic player on the ice and he looks poised to lead Sarnia offensively this year (even if Zacha comes back)
15 Holden Hrysko (RW) - recognizes soft areas well…uses long reach in possession…well timed dishes…impressed today
16 Alex Renaud (LW) – passionate player who has come a long ways over the past two years but he still lacks puck skills to be a top six player. Ideally, Renaud should be on the 3rd line …he knows the kind of player he is and that plays to his advantage.
22 Sasha Chmelevski (C) –better in second scrimmage, holding onto puck longer and showing some deceptive puck maneuvres ( misdirection and fakes)….didn’t seem to be gripping the stick as much in the second scrimmage….really intrigued with him…appears to have good hockey sense, flashes of creativity but most importantly, he can play with top offensive options – providing puck support to keep plays alive (players like this are needed on this squad)….appeared to be coming out of his shell by the end of the day.
23 Jacob Stos (LW) – not gritty enough to play the role he needs to as a fourth line energy guy…
TEAM WHITE
35 Kaden Fulcher (G)…allowed 1GA in his start vs White (not to his fault)…sound positioning…he’s improved DRASTICALLY since his draft year…makes goaltending look easy. He’ll challenge for the backup role.
2 Cameron Babiak (D) – performed well for 2015 draftee…didn’t blow the doors off offensively but he was very sound defensively…relies on good positioning and tight gap controls….moves well…actually laid out a few guys (which was noticeable since he’s not the thickest of defenders)
3 Alex Boudreau (D) – not overly noticeable but that’s a good thing …not sure where he’ll play but he could be a solid defensive defenseman option in a years time.
4 Jakob Chychrun (LD) – did not play but we talked and he’s excited for the season…it appears he will probably suit up in a few exhibition games.
6 Jeff King (D) – status quo with Jeff King as he showed off his mobile offensive game…likely teams up with Chychrun to run the PP…scored a highlight reel shootout goal (quite amazing)
8 Connor Schlichting (D) – so nice to see him back playing (always liked him…even back in his draft year – loved the selection)…very mobile… looks strong and he’s got a calming style of game where he executes simple yet effective passes…lost time doesn’t help but he probably should be in a top four role with this team.
9 Franco Sproviero (D) – should receive long look even with lots of D…he’s the Jeff King of last season…he’s in tough due to numbers but I really like his game…so smart and efficient in a distributing role.
12 John Baker (RW) – buzzsaw forward was all over the ice…good support player always presenting himself as a passing option…chemistry player…could be the Troy Lajeuness of this training camp…smart quick touches…gets to top gear quickly…
14 Chase Campbell (RW) – underwhelmed…lacked the energy he’s shown in the past…needs to be that buzzsaw forward to warrant a spot on the roster
18 Nikita Korostelev (RW) – skating remains an issue particularly in lateral movement (rarely uses crossovers)..improved as the game went on…executed one of the filthiest shootout goals I’ve ever witnessed to end the second scrimmage.
20 Brandon Lindberg (LW) – awesome energy with lots of jump…another chemistry guy who’ll be easy to slot in as a top 9 forward
24 Ryan McGregor (C) –strength will be biggest area to work on but his speed lets him survive …highly intelligent player...progressed VERY well over his first game…good vision…wide skating base gets to top speed quickly...reminds me of a more skilled and quicker Salinitri…could improve body position to ready himself for passes and shots (simple fix)
26 Colton McKenna (LW) – good poise with the puck …adjusting to speed will be key…good quickness on a whippy snap shot…has the hands and range to earn space but he needs to exploit that when he gets it rather than wait for other options to arrive.
27 Brendan Trottier (RW) – didn’t do much to stand out from the pack
Sting Depth Chart (line combos are irrelevant)
Justin Fazio
Aidan Hughes
Kaden Fulcher
Jakob Chychrun -Josh Jacobs
Zach Core - Jeff King
Kevin Spinozzi - Jake O’Donnell
Alex Black
Josh DeFarias
Connor Schlichting
Brandon Lindberg - Jordan Kyrou - Nikita Korostelev
Troy Lajeunesse - Daniel Nikandrov - Hayden Hodgson
Patrick White - Ryan McGregor - Anthony Salinitri
Alex White - Sasha Chmelevski - Noah Bushnell
Chase Campbell
Pavel Zacha (???)
Bubble (close to duty):
D Kelton Hatcher
C Zachary Ribau
RW Holden Hrysko
RW Brendan Trottier
