Knights Joust with Whalers

The London Knights recently defeated the Plymouth Whalers 3-2 on the strength of shootout goals from Jared Knight and Nazem Kadri. McKeen's Director of Scouting, David Burstyn was on hand and has notes on Kadri and Knight, as well as Austin Levi and possible first overall 2010 NHL Entry Draft selection Tyler Seguin.

Tyler Seguin (2010), C, Plymouth

Seguin has exploded in the month of January (26 points in 13 games) to currently regain the OHL scoring title .. Seguin brings a centreman's creativity and a playmaking sensibility to the wing .. the game comes natural to him in the offensive zone where his speed and vision simply take over .. he is not quite a power forward but he is strong enough to muscle his way into the offensive zone .. his shot has seen remarkable improvement and he is far more confident in it .. his shot release has improved considerably .. he can work on both special teams, as he has become a reliable option defensively, enjoys killing penalties and is constantly a threat to score SH goals .. he is difficult to knock off the puck and plays with controlled aggression but has gotten a tad undisciplined this year .. at times, it appears he can be intimidated .. Seguin offers a great skill package, however an NHL team who has the luxury of a top pick will need to ask themselves what position they need to address, as both him and Hall fill different roles.

Austin Levi (2010), D, Plymouth

Consistency has plagued Levi this season as he has looked good for stretches and has faltered in others .. a slick skating defender, he has good lateral movement, pivots and balance .. his confidence moving the puck has not seen much improvement resulting in him not getting involved in the attack .. is still biding his time in terms of becoming more involved offensively and given the Whalers somewhat slow backend, he cannot afford to take chances .. he does make plays at the line, mainly exercising his booming shot .. he has pro size and a mean streak .. his skating allows him to line guys up and he has been mindful not to get caught running around looking for the big hit .. his turning radius is good to use his size to defend .. coach Vellucci has been patient with him and thrown him over the boards even if he has made a mistake, which has helped in his overall game .. factors to be more of a projection pick at this point, as he could become a good shutdown guy in a few years with his size, nastiness and skating skill.

Nazem Kadri (Tor), C, London

Following a silver medal performance at the WJC, Kadri rejoins a Knights team that has not embraced the success it has been accustomed too .. shuffled often by coach Hunter, Kadri's play this season has taken a backward step so much that Leafs GM Brian Burke has had to make two separate trips to London to speak to the young Kadri .. possesses great puck and individual skills but has failed to play within a team structure and has adopted many selfish habits .. as the go-to-guy on the team he does make plays to ignite offensive chances .. however, for the amount of times he has the puck he does not manufacture the best opportunities and holds onto the puck for far too long .. Kadri finds himself in a peculiar situation, as he is too good for this level but not old enough for the AHL or ready for the NHL and therefore, developing poor habits.

Jared Knight (2010), RW, London

Diagnosed with diabetes just before Christmas, Knight has addressed his condition and it has resulted in him getting thicker and becoming a much more productive player .. his January totals of 18 points in 14 games is a direct result of his recovery .. is starting to see icetime with better players, which has also brought out his overall game .. stealth-like player with a mature offensive game, Knight is able to make passes in tight spaces but is more of a goal scorer .. he has a great shot but is incredibly clever in close where his hands and wrists are super quick .. he can change on his forehand or backhand in an instant and deke a goalie down low .. still needs to show more urgency in the neutral zone, as he can stop moving his feet .. he has a great first step but he does not always exhibit it and the fact that he stops skating through plays does not always lend him as many scoring chances if he were too .. a good problem solver in the offensive zone .. Knight has shown a complete turn around in his game, which should see his draft stock improve.