Golden Puck: Sudburys Mini Cooper

The Don Mills Flyers took the minor midget age group at the Golden Puck Tournament, defeating the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs. We conclude our review with a peek at more top performers including Anthony Nigro of the Flyers, Brian Shaw of the Chiefs, Brett Perlini of the Soo North Stars, plus a pair of intriguing Sudbury Nickel Capitals in Kyle Tarini and diminutive scoring machine Vern Cooper.

Don Mills Flyers (5-1-0)

Anthony Nigro (C), 6'0/165 - Don Mills Flyers

Smooth-striding centerman who reaches top gear in a hurry .. a slick stickhandler, can beat opposing defensemen if they play the puck instead of the body .. solid one-on-one abilities, boasts a wide variety of moves in his arsenal and should only improve as he develops and gets stronger .. looked to be a bit lazy at times on the backcheck, which is a function of being the main ingredient to the offence, and he plays as such sometimes .. will defend his teammates and frequently throws his body around despite a slender frame .. his talent coupled with his skating will most certainly make him a top 40 pick in the Priority Selection .. should be in the OHL next season.

Nicholas Crawford (D), 6'1/185 - Don Mills Flyers

Emerged as a solid defender who is on everybody's radar while on the ice .. a top defender who logs many key minutes in all situations .. possesses good wheels and the size that makes him a very attractive prospect .. tends to slow down a little bit when handling the puck .. displays a flair for the offence as he makes a nice first pass out of the zone and can additionally control the play when he's running the power play .. keeps his point shots low and strategically placed for tips .. needs to keep working on his defensive positioning, but will warrant attention come draft time.

Daniel Ciampini (LW), 5'11/150 - Don Mills Flyers

An average skater who plays bigger than his size suggests .. displays good acceleration when he gets his feet moving .. decent shot power and a capable passer .. works well behind the net and along the boards where his slippery frame and surprising strength play to his advantage.

Serafino Sauro (RW), 6'3/225 - Don Mills Flyers

One of the biggest kids playing at this level .. size is a definite plus as he finishes checks and scares the opposition .. eliminates players from the play .. demonstrates a good understanding of where to position himself, however lacks the offensive tools to be truly effective.

Honourable mention to Brendan McVeigh who, though rather skinny for a defender, skates very well and is constantly getting the puck out of his zone and creating chances the other way. Luke Reda, the son of TSN sportscaster Gino Reda, is a huge, thick kid who has terrific skating abilities. Unfortunately, his hands are not as fast as his feet, but he does play an effective role on the team, killing penalties and providing size up front.

Elgin Middlesex Chiefs (5-1-0)

Brian Shaw (D), 6'3/188 - Elgin Middlesex Chiefs

A big, slender defenseman and team captain .. a gifted skater who possesses solid mobility and reverse movement .. pushes guys to the outside and then hammers them with good hard checks .. protects his goalie and isn't afraid to get physical if needed .. blocks shooting lanes and positions himself optimally to limit opposition scoring opportunities .. his team only allowed one goal in five games, a testament to his diligence .. takes care in his own end and is ever so responsible .. his play is similar to a poor man's Chris Pronger .. would make a splash come draft time if he can develop his offensive ability .. despite a surplus of strong defenseman in this year's crop, he could still find himself in the upper echelon with sustained consistency throughout the season .. a solid first round candidate.

Tyler Carroll (C), 6'0/175 - Elgin Middlesex Chiefs

Assistant captain and a good leader who always works hard .. a big, crouched-over skater .. generates adequate speed for his style of play .. possesses good offensive tools and showed an ability to finish on several occasions .. can make moves and stickhandle to gain the zone .. strong on his skates and is able to pry the puck away from opponents .. likes to park himself in front of the net and bang away at loose pucks .. must work on his discipline and learn to channel his intensity as he goes overboard at times and takes unnecessary penalties.

Honourable mention to Tom Jobson who plays the role of agitator to a tee. At times, his antics are questionable and borderline dirty, however he has accepted and thrived within his role on the team. He is relatively small though, so it remains to be seen if his services will be used at a higher level such as the OHL.

Sudbury Nickel Capitals (2-2-0)

Vern Cooper (C), 5'9/155 - Sudbury Nickel Capitals

Underaged '90-born forward is leading his midget team in scoring with 51 points in 23 games .. a goal-scoring machine as he contributed in every game at this tournament .. scored a bunch of pretty goals showcasing his strong shot on both the fore and backhand .. boasts a good release point and an innate ability to beat goalies .. more of a finisher than a playmaker .. very fast on his feet, takes off rapidly from a standing start and is blessed with the top speed to burn defenders .. primarily offensively focused as he rarely backchecks with the diligence that is required .. alternately, it may be a coach's decision to play him so high .. stickhandles with alarming speed when he has the puck on his stick .. hard to ignore what he brings to the table despite his size .. consider he is leading the league in scoring against players who are two years older, five inches taller and 50 pounds heavier .. will play in the OHL next season and is a potential mid first-round pick in the draft.

Kyle Tarini (LW), 6'2/190 - Sudbury Nickel Capitals

Another '90-born forward for the Capitals who, like teammate Vern Cooper, has produced admirably - sits third in team scoring .. very strong on his skates, almost impossible to knock him off stride .. can hit top speed with ease without crossing over as his legs are very strong and provide excellent toe thrust for maximum speed .. offensively, he can make superb accurate passes even over long distances .. also possesses a good shot and is dangerous when he cuts to the net and causes disturbances .. appears to be a sure-fire first-round pick considering his size/skill quotient .. projects to be a dominant player in the OHL in a few years.

Lampton Jr. Sting (1-3-0)

Garett Hunter (LW), 5'10/165 - Lampton Jr.Sting

Son of Mark Hunter who is the assistant coach for this team .. team captain .. possesses decent offensive skills .. not an overly dynamic skater as his acceleration and balance need work .. average at faceoffs .. must work to improve his play away from the puck as well as his positioning on the ice .. will need to upgrade many aspects of his game to make it to the next level.

Chris Rocca (LW), 6'2/190 - Lampton Jr.Sting

Blessed with impressive size and uses it to his advantage .. outmuscles players along the boards and prefers to work the puck and play down low .. charges eagerly into the offensive zone and looks to create turnovers .. only minimal speed and doesn't own the greatest hands, however his size and potential are worth exploring.

Aaron Gibbings (D), 6'3/180 - Lampton Jr.Sting

Reliable stay-at-home defender .. decent speed as he has big legs .. physically imposing - towers over his peers .. could be tougher and meaner however .. clears the crease and plays a dependable game in which he maintains position and tries not to get beaten by smaller, speedy forwards.

Honourable mention goes to Chase Clark who showcases tremendous speed and is a big player with the potential to fill out. Clark boasts good puck-control abilities and charges into the offensive zone always attempting to make plays while still being responsible defensively.

Soo North Stars (5-0-1)

Dean Howard (C), 6'1/165 - Soo North Stars

Quick feet and a strong skater .. aggressive and effective on the forecheck as he anticipates well, causes turnovers, and boasts the skillset to capitalize on them .. prefers to beat players one-on-one as his style of play is more finesse than grit .. doesn't cycle the puck overly well .. prefers to makes plays in front of the net using his wrist shot to bury goals .. not particularly adept in traffic and shies away from the physical aspects of the game .. certainly capable of producing at the OHL level .. potentially a late first or second-round pick depending on his development over the course of the season, although his talent will only take him so far.

Brett Perlini (C), 6'1/170 - Soo North Stars

An honest, hard-working player who loves to compete .. shifty with quick hands and a timely release .. intelligently moves himself into areas to score and isn't afraid to get hit in order to make a play .. very industrious - willingly goes into traffic areas and makes plays though his sheer hard work and determination .. a solid OHL career is all but a guarantee.