Memorial Cup Review: Belleville Bulls

The Belleville Bulls made their second trip to the Memorial Cup in franchise history and finished once again in third place. Despite going 2-1 in round robin play, the Bulls suffered their worst loss of the season in the semifinal game of the Memorial Cup being shutout 9-0 at the hands of their archrival Kitchener Rangers. A historic season, as this team set new franchise records for both wins and points in a single season.

Goaltending

OHL Goalie-of-the-Year Mike Murphy started in every Memorial Cup game. He missed three games in the playoffs due to a nagging back injury but rebounded well to finish the OHL playoffs. He played strong in the round robin of the Memorial Cup, as he faced an average of 48 shots per game. The highly acrobatic Murphy made many key saves in dramatic fashion. He was particularly strong in the final game of the round robin, as he turned aside 26 shots in the third period to give his Bulls a chance to claim home-ice advantage against the Rangers in the semifinal game. Murphy allowed nine goals in the semifinal game but to his credit showed character by refusing to be pulled and finishing the season just the way he started, in goal. His unorthodox style confused many shooters and his competitiveness to stay with the play scored him top marks. The only blemish on his report card would be his last game.

Grade: B

Defense

The Bulls went with three pairings and coach Burnett was cognoscente to roll the lines equally. The acquisition of Williams at the trading deadline gave the Bulls a potent 1-2 offensive punch on the backend with Subban being the other offensive contributor. Williams was generally partnered with Lalonde. They both could generate their share of offensive chances, however at times they were a defensive nightmare. Williams and Lalonde did not make a favorable Memorial Cup debut, as they were exposed often against the Spokane Chiefs. Williams redeemed himself with a second-star performance against the Olympiques but his overall performance waned on unspectacular. Subban was partnered with Killing; who set a franchise record for most games played in a Bulls uniform. Killing allowed Subban plenty of opportunities to jump into the rush while he focused on the defensive duties. Considering his defensive responsibilities, he took on the challenges well and the tandem worked well. At times, Killing buckled under the pressure against stronger forwards and Subban was usually out of position to help his partner. Nick Pageau and Chris Mifflen were the third pairing and provided steady play that often went unnoticed, which for these two players is a testament to their solid play. Too often the defensive awareness was lacking, which resulted in many missed assignments and costly giveaways.

Grade C

Offence

The well ran dry in the semifinals, as the Bulls forwards managed a meager 11 shots after two periods of play in their semifinal game. The Bulls boasted the best forward depth of all the teams participating in the Memorial Cup. Their third line alone featured a second round draft pick and a 24-goal regular season scorer in Eric Tangradi. The surprise play of Cory Tanaka vaulted him to the second line and he even saw substantial PP time after scoring three goals in his first two games. Matthias also led the way with four goals and got stronger with each passing game. Beleskey was a model of consistency and scored top marks for his competitiveness. Mursak had flashes but was not able to take advantage of his opportunities and hobbled in their final game after sustaining an injury with five minutes to go in round robin play. Cameron appeared to play when he wanted and disappeared for long stretches at a time. Capable of breaking the game open with his finishing skills, too often he was content to blend in with the scenery. Perry was invisible in the final game and any positive impression he made in round robin play was quickly erased with his lackluster performance in the semis, as he finished the game with a woeful minus -6. Turkiewicz played a consistent game and always competed. He was instrumental in team success because he was always willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the team. He scored the GWG against the Rangers in OT for the Bulls to capture home-ice advantage in the play downs. The surprise story may go to Stephen Johnston, as he filled in admirably during the OHL playoffs in Matthias' absence but saw his icetime drastically reduced to start the Memorial Cup. The injury of Mursak allotted him more icetime and he made the most of it finishing the season strong in the Bulls final game and made a legitimate case for his name to be called out on draft day. The Bulls had a core group of forwards that they leaned on heavily all season and throughout the Memorial Cup. They played up to their expectations and despite not scoring a goal in their final game should be recognized for their offensive input.

Grade: A-

Belleville Bulls Scouting Notes

Mike Murphy (2008), G, Belleville

The OHL Goalie-of-the-Year backstopped his team and set new franchise records in every statistical category including wins, goals-against average and save percentage .. a highly acrobatic goalie who plays an unorthodox style, as he uses all his limbs to make a save .. he flops around often and looks good but accomplishes very little .. too often, he is out of position and has a hard time recovering .. he has improved on certain aspects of his game, namely staying on his feet after making a save .. he tends to lose his net when he is off his feet and that is where his problems start and end .. he does not react well to forwards coming down on the rush, as he exposes too much of the net and gives up weak goals especially on his short side .. he has strong mental composure and is able to rebound to win games even if he has a slow start .. it is not the way he would like to play but he has kept his team in games after allowing a few soft goals .. Murphy needs to see the puck early so he can be involved in the game because when he is hot, he is hot and can win the game single handily .. considering he allowed five goals against in only one of the 19 playoff games he started, his Memorial Cup experience had to be viewed as a poor one, as he surrendered five goals to Spokane and nine to Kitchener .. Murphy should return for another season of junior and that should help his overall game .. it is unlikely that he will be drafted, as his technique is flawed .. a classic case of an athletic athlete that does not necessarily understand the nuance of the position.

Nigel Williams (Col), D, Belleville

Williams came over in a blockbuster trade that included Jan Mursak from the Saginaw Spirit .. Williams established many franchise firsts in the offensive department including becoming the first defenseman to score a hat trick for the Spirit .. Williams did not disappoint and had an immediate impact for the Bulls finishing with double-digit goal totals in the regular season and close to a point a game in the playoffs .. an agile and fluent puckhandler, he shelters the puck to the outside and looks to drive wide on many defenders .. he has a tendency to start the offensive play too quickly and as such, may have benefited from a more defensive-minded partner other than Lalonde .. he likes to take chances but does not always recover or recognize his defensive zone duties when trailing a play .. he needs to be more selective on when to rush plays himself or distribute the puck, as too often he wants to do it all by himself .. his vision is crippled in that regard and while he looks good in his offensive forays, too often they dissolve into nothing plays .. Williams's best offensive weapon is his shot .. he works well to get it off and controls the line well in the offensive zone, as he is able to get his shot hard and low .. at times, he will gamble too much and needs to be mindful about his decisions to pinch .. considering his size, he rarely flattens a player with a bone-jarring hit .. he is rather passive and seems disinterested in scrums often being the first player to back down and not physically engage .. his lack of foot speed leaves him susceptible to forechecking and he will turn the puck over as a result .. he does not always angle well and rarely uses his stick to defend .. as the old saying goes, when he is good, he is good, but when he is bad, he is plain rotten capable of mental lapses that make you wonder how he was a second round NHL pick .. a high risk, high-reward-type player, he will need to learn to make quicker passes if he is to survive at a higher level of competition.

P.K. Subban (Mtl), D, Belleville

Subban played a small role on Canada's WJC team that captured the gold medal .. he was the seventh defenseman and was immersed in the environment to groom him for next year's WJC in Ottawa .. despite his regular season point totals dropping by 10 from the previous year, he once again led the Bulls backend in scoring for a second-consecutive season .. Subban is a strong skater and is eager to join the rush .. his skating gets him in the clear and he has done a much better job of looking for the open teammate at the offensive blueline .. still a wild horse who likes to run free, he has learned to contain his offensive breakouts .. Subban complements his speed and agility with good puckhandling skills .. he can move the puck well at various speeds and can settle the puck down in traffic to make a play .. Subban has a patent, half-180 move that he does, which is similar to that of Brian Campbell that gets him also into the clear .. he is not as jerky as he used to be and his smoothness has helped him elude forwards who often bite at his head fakes and waist turns .. Subban, much like his counterpart Williams, has a great shot from the line .. he did not use it much in the regular season but shot at will in the playoffs .. Subban's game leans so much for the offence that his decision-making suffers in terms of understanding when to fall back or not overextending a pass .. he can contain his man down low with his imposing frame (5'11, 205) but he does not always win his battles down low and suffers from huge brain cramps without the puck .. his mistakes are easily corrected, as he needs to understand his positioning better .. he does not shy from combining his physical game with his finesse game and will go out of his way for a timely hit .. Subban should be able to get another crack at competing for the Memorial Cup, as he is unlikely to finish his career in Bellville, as offers for his services would be too lofty for Belleville to turn down if the offer was right .. think Windsor next season, if the Spitfires are unable to get Fowler to report.

Shawn Lalonde (2008), D, Belleville

Lalonde struggled with consistency all season and despite a plu-24 improvement from last season, he did little to show NHL scouts that his defensive game made strides .. Lalonde is an exceptional skater with healthy offensive skills but he may be better suited as an up-and-down winger .. his first step and fluidity in his skating allow him to get to loose pucks first, however too often he is hurried off the puck to a strong forecheck .. he made several costly errors and took himself out of position with his decision-making forcing him to take poor penalties to recover .. swift in all directions, Lalonde sees PP time, as he has the lateral mobility and passing skills to be effective on the second unit .. he always has his head up when he is in the offensive zone and delivers crisp passes .. Lalonde has a tendency to rush plays and needs to develop more patience in his play .. his shot power is ok but his accuracy needs to be addressed, as he does not always get his shots on goal or keep the puck low for tips or deflections .. Lalonde plays with a mean streak and will not back down from anyone .. this aspect has made him enduring, as coupled with his skating skills, he is an attractive prospect, however his hockey sense is unsettling .. defensively, his play is worrisome, as he struggles to find his outlets .. not always focused, Lalonde can be fooled by crafty stickhandlers and will play the puck not the man resulting in odd-man breaks just inside the line .. he needs to make quicker adjustments in his footwork as not to be in poor situations, as he often is on the receiving end of a hit because of where he is on the ice .. Lalonde brings many quality attributes to the table but his shortcomings leave big question marks about his future as a pro.

Cory Tanaka (2008), C, Belleville

Tanaka got hot at the right time and was trusted by coach Burnett in many situations during the Memorial Cup .. Tanaka really flourished as a player this season posting career highs in all statistical categories .. playing on the third line with the likes of Turkiewicz and Self for the balance of the season put him in a position to succeed, as it was probably the best scoring third line in the league .. an elusive player with deceptive quickness .. his ability to anticipate and read the game helped him become an excellent checker with an offensive dimension to his game .. he is an aggressive penalty killer and the speed he uses helps him create turnovers for chances in the other direction .. he is small in stature but does a good job to preserve his body and only throws himself into scrums when he firmly believes he can come out with the puck .. his strong transition game allows him to gain the line and make a play with the puck but he also exhibits a fair degree of patience and will not throw the puck away .. he does not have the strength from a distance to blow the puck by a goalie but he is good in close and his speed allows him to get there .. Tanaka has put on 20 pounds in the last two seasons .. his increase in size has made him a better all-around player, as he used to get knocked around quite a bit when he broke into the league.

Stephen Johnston (2008), C, Belleville

Johnston became the surprise story of the playoffs in similar fashion as Eric Tangradi did last season for the Bulls during their extended playoff run .. Johnston, one of only a few players to make the jump from Midget to the OHL, scored five goals during the Bulls march to the Memorial Cup .. the beneficiary of Matthias' absence from the lineup, Johnston quickly earned the trust of coach Burnett and outplayed the likes of Blunden and Randell for the 13th forward spot .. he slowly worked his way up the lines and provided the Bulls with a reliable two-way game that made it almost impossible to take him out of the lineup .. blessed with neither great speed nor the softest hands, Johnston takes advantage of his skill set due to his unwavering work ethic .. he fearlessly blocked shots in the semifinal when his team was down by four goals .. he always looks to finish his checks and though he is not a bruiser, he can slow a player down if he connects .. Johnston needs to work on his upper body strength so he can play more of a physical down-low game, as he thrives in that area of the ice .. he likes to drive wide and with additional strength and conditioning, he should be able to contain defenders even if they lean on him due to his balance on his skates .. if Johnston cannot create offensively, he is aware defensively and marks his man as soon as he enters the defensive zone .. a character player with a warrior's attitude, Johnston should be a big part of the Belleville attack next season and a team would be very wise to select him in the later rounds, as his development has only begun.

Shawn Matthias (Fla), C, Belleville

Matthias returned to the Bulls lineup for game 7 of the OHL finals .. after putting fourth a tremendous season, Matthias caught mono just before the playoffs .. a highly skilled forward who can score at will .. his finesse skills coupled with his size and strong skating ability make him a threat every time he jumps over the boards .. looked a tad sluggish to start the tournament but got better with each passing shift, as his endurance and strength levels improved .. not a blinding skater, his long stride helps him navigate freely on the ice .. a playmaking centre with solid passing skills .. he can exploit an opening in the offensive zone with an accurate pass .. he has a very hard and accurate shot as well and is dangerous in close due to his ability to keep the puck close to his body and roof it in an instant .. he plays in traffic even though he is not a hitter .. he uses his reach to dislodge players off the puck in traffic and he has the sense to make a play along the boards .. wide stance to shield the puck and drive to the net .. he is especially sneaky when handling the puck down low, as he does a great job attacking the side of the goal, a play that led to Canada's OT-winning goal at the WJC .. not overly physical, he will not back down and will hit with a fair bit of consistency .. strong positional play in the defensive zone, although he tries to do too much at times and tends to want to push forward .. has learned to distribute the puck quicker, although his passes can be off the mark but at least he is not holding onto the puck as long as he did to start the season .. Matthias has nothing left to prove at the Major Junior level, as he was quite possibly the best two-way player in the league .. he will need to increase his upper body strength but only experience is holding Matthias back .. a strong camp could see him start the season with the Florida Panthers next season, however given their penchant for not rushing young players with icetime, expect his point totals and icetime to be low should he stick.

Jan Mursak (Det), RW, Belleville

Expected to start the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), Mursak returned to Saginaw and looked like a shadow of his former self before the trade to Belleville .. Mursak immediately responded to a change of scenery and posted over a point a game in both his 31 regular season games and 21 playoff contests for the Bulls .. Mursak simply ran out of steam in the Memorial Cup and a leg injury in the final round robin game rendered him ineffective in the play downs .. an excellent skater, he possesses breakaway speed including an outstanding first step .. he uses his speed to his advantage by driving defenseman out wide and off the line .. his best skill is his ability to handle the puck at any level of speed .. he has good hands and vision but he undercuts his playmaking ability by over handling the puck .. he will try to make a play in a crowd, which may be accomplished with considerable success at this level but he will need to make quicker decisions at the pro level .. he has a good wristshot but he does not always use it .. he has not managed to put much weight on his slender frame and his shot and overall physical play has been stunted as a result .. he is not physically imposing but he also does not back down and tries to work the boards with a fair degree of success .. his balance and quick stick help him in this regard .. his speed and hockey sense make him effective in the defensive zone but he loses his checks and misses assignments from time to time .. Mursak should graduate to the AHL next season, however given the Red Wings system and players of similar skill set - if not better - it will be hard for Mursak to move up the depth chart anytime soon.

Adam Perry (FA), LW, Belleville

Brought in by management to give the Bulls an experienced, offensively potent overage forward, Adam, the younger brother of Corey (Anaheim Ducks) played a small role on the 2005 Memorial Cup-winning Knights .. he has averaged over 70 points in his last three seasons and has become a very difficult player to play against .. like dirt under your fingernails, Perry agitates the opposition to no end and forces them to play his game .. plays at a level of intensity that inspires his teammates .. not a strong skater, he is rather slow out of the gate but he is exceptionally versed on reading and reacting to developing plays .. he goes hard to the net and stays in front to bang away loose pucks in front .. Perry will do whatever it takes to win but fell completely apart in his final game of junior, falling to the ice excessively and stopped competing when the game was out of reach for the Bulls .. his game seems almost suited for the CIS ranks, as he lacks the foot speed and overall toughness to play his type of game at the AHL level.

Matt Beleskey (Ana), LW, Belleville

Signed just prior to the Memorial Cup by the Ducks to a three-year-entry-level contract, he earned every dollar sign considering his flat-out, awe-inspiring play in the playoffs where he had a 19-game point streak en route to the Bulls cruising to the OHL finals .. ironically, he failed to score in his first and last playoff game .. a player who steps up his game when it matters most, as his performance in Games 4 and 6 of the OHL finals helped to establish himself as one of the premier clutch players in the league .. not overly big but stocky, Beleskey is almost impossible to knock off the puck .. not afraid to go up the middle to make a play, Beleskey is a fearless competitor that forces defensemen to haul him down .. backed by a powerful slapshot and one timer, Beleskey gets his full weight behind his shot and more importantly, he works into proper position to unload it ..

Beleskey did wonders to improve his game away from the puck, as his defensive game was his most noticeable improvement this season .. he learned that good defense can create many opportunities and has the offensive skill set to finish .. often intercepting passes and knocking down errand pucks in the neutral zone to generate a play in the other direction .. Beleskey's skating has improved considerably too .. he is quick to mark his man in the defensive zone and due to his keen anticipation skills, he can pounce on loose pucks in the offensive zone .. Beleskey seems to be able to score the big goal and has already made quantum leaps in his play away from the puck, which should make him enduring to coach Carlyle .. Beleskey's development could mirror that of Brendan Morrow, a player who will get better as he matures just like most power forwards do.

Keaton Turkiewicz (2008), RW, Belleville

Turkiewicz made the ultimate sacrifice this season and put team success over his own offensive numbers .. relegated to the third line with the arrival of Perry and Mursak, Turkiewicz thrived in a checking role while still managing to contribute on the scoreboard .. never stops moving his feet and will hurl his body at anyone regardless of size .. he has done a better job throughout the years of picking his opponents wisely in terms of leaving himself exposed and taking the worst of the hits he administered .. strong upper body allows him to drive through players and get his shoulder into his hits .. his offensive game lacks natural finish and he has a tendency to rush a play with little to no purpose .. he is very committed in what he plans to do, for example, he goes hard to the net but lacks originality and creativity with the puck .. he bangs in his fair share of rebounds by eagerly attacking the net and did score an OT GWG .. Turkiewicz has a contagious work ethic and he should return to the Bulls as a very productive overage player next season.

Bryan Cameron (LA), RW, Belleville

Cameron enjoyed a breakout campaign, as he was tied for the team lead in goals with 41, scoring 21 on the PP .. Cameron is a lighting-quick skater but would benefit from moving the puck faster and then jumping into the holes .. he does not always exploit the chances his speed can create .. needs to move his feet more and compete harder .. a natural talent but does not make the sacrifices to become a more complete player .. his efforts can wane from shift to shift and consistency plagues him .. at times, he can turn his back on the play and generally look uninterested in retrieving the puck .. appears to only want the puck when it is within a few strides .. he has a great release and partially the reason he was switched to the wing was to take advantage of his shot off the faceoff dot .. has a knack for scoring goals within 10 feet of the goal and is especially gifted around the goal but only when he wants to be .. can drive the net and fend off players with one hand due to his balance .. plays on either the first line or third unit and does not seem to be troubled when shuffled from line to line, as he does not put forth the competitiveness to want to get back to the first line .. a streaky scorer who can be on fire but then disappear for long stretches at a time .. at times, he throws the body and plays feisty but for the most part, he is passive and will take liberties only when the referees have intervened .. was very ordinary in the playoffs and unnoticeable, which for a 40-goal scorer in the regular season is simply inexcusable.

Eric Tangradi (Ana), F, Belleville

After exploding in last year's playoff, Tangradi was the most improved Bull statically, as he scored 19 more goals and improved his point totals by 40 in his second season .. a finesse player who is a surprisingly good skater for his size .. he was clearly playing through injuries, as he labored on countless shifts and missed the final game of the round robin .. he has good hands and can move the puck efficiently up ice .. he has a quick stick and uses his reach to dance around forwards .. he needs to put his hands to better use and work in tighter spaces to score garbage goals .. quick start up and deceptive Jordan Staal-like speed, he eats up the ice and gets to loose pucks along the boards with alarming quickness .. Tangradi can play unmotivated, lacks urgency in his game, and certainly does not get his 6-foot-3, 215 pounds worth of work done .. his development should be an interesting one, as he has the skill set to blossom into a productive offensive player but also has the work ethic to not acknowledge how much work really needs to be done.