NHL Draft: OHL Overview Part IV

In our continuing look at OHL players that were selected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, McKeen's correspondent David Burstyn rounds out the bottom portion of the second round and features the likes of Cameron Gaunce, Brandon Burlon, Shawn Lalonde, Tyler Beskorowany and the last edition of the Staal family, Jared.

Jared Staal (Phx), C

The youngest member of the heralded Staal clan was the only brother not to be selected in the first round. Staal, picked 49th overall managed to get on the score sheet with more regularity this season. He increased his point production by 46 points, as he was relied upon more to shoulder the offensive load. Staal was held in high regard due to his pedigree and the amount of time it took Jordan to finally 'get it'. However, all things considered, Jordan had much more drive then Jared at his age and that is invariably the knock on the youngest Staal. Jared was outdone and outclassed by fellow teammate O'Dell so much that it was O'Dell who received an invite to the Under 18's and not the one time projected first round selection Staal. After selecting two wingers before him in Boedker and Tikhonov, there certainly is no rush for Staal to jump in anytime soon. He is still physically immature and at this point is considered more of a project than a legitimate option. Time will tell if Staal can live up to the careers of his older brother's have, however at this point, he just does not seem as hungry as they were.

Cameron Gaunce (Col), D

Gaunce grew up playing with the likes of Stamkos and Del Zotto with the acclaimed Markham Minor Midget team that only lost a single game all season. Gaunce, a second round selection of the St.Mikes Majors was good enough to play on the team in his rookie season but originally contemplated the NCAA route. He produced a healthy season with the OPJHL Markham Waxers before joining the Majors this season. Gaunce took advantage of the lack of offensive-minded blueliners and contributed immediately. His penchant for getting involved physically also saw his draft stock rise. The Avalanche, in recent years have been accumulating defensemen. Gaunce was their first selection this season after they drafted Shattenkirk and Cohen with their top two picks last year. Gaunce has a colourful charm to him and often jokes that he is the fat kid who knows Steven Stamkos. This lively sense of humour has made him very endearing to his teammates and is also a reflection of his character. Gaunce should be able to lead the Majors once again in scoring on the backend next season.

Brandon Burlon (NJ), D

The Devils went with a safe pick in Burlon, as he gives the team added depth on the backend. Burlon already owns a pro-style frame, as his body is perfect for the rigors and physical challenges of the NHL. Burlon did not play as much on the PP and did not register high offensive totals but projects to be more of a defense-first defenseman. Burlon first turned heads at the World Challenge as a member of Team East. He sustained an injury in the finals, separating his shoulder but not before he stirred quite a buzz, (no pun intended) amongst the NHL scouting fraternity. His injury resulted in him only dressing for 32 games but he did manage to pick up his game during the playoffs. Committed to Michigan, Burlon should gain valuable tutelage from coach Red Berenson and be a good match up player at the NCAA level before graduating to the AHL ranks.

Tyler Beskorowany (Dal), G

The last time the Stars drafted an Ontario-born goalie in the second round was Dan Ellis. Ellis, played his hockey and was drafted out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha but ironically enough, his OHL rights belonged to Owen Sound. Beskorowany was a virtual unknown to start the season, as he was a 14th round selection. He came into camp and beat out three goaltenders for the starting job. Beskorowany was the main reason the Attack were able to compete for a playoff spot for as long as they did. He stole countless games before his season ended on a sour note, as he failed to win a game in his last 17 starts. Dallas is not very deep in goal and Beskorowany could be the ultimate pet project. He is still many years away and his career could mirror that of Ellis in which he would play several seasons in both the ECHL and the AHL to fine tune his game. A return to junior should give him more confidence this season, as the Attack are a much-improved club with off-season acquisitions and should be able to score more goals with the additions of Michael Lomas and Garrett Wilson..

Shawn Lalonde (Chi), D

The Blackhawks return to the OHL with their second pick after having so much success in recent years with OHL players. The Hawks have drafted 15 players from the OHL in the last four drafts. Lalonde's run to the Memorial Cup gave many NHL teams ample looks to assess his skill set. A healthy skater with a mean streak, Lalonde was guilty of many defensive gaffes this season, which may have lowered his stock. Lalonde, a native of Orleans, a suburb just outside of Ottawa looked at times better suited to play forward and given the depth on the blueline with the Hawks, he may want to convert to the wing. The recent signing of Brian Campbell and the emergence of Keith, Barker, Seabrook and Wisnieski has Lalonde certainly looking on the outside looking in for several seasons. Lalonde still needs to work on many aspects of his game and returning to the Bulls should provide him with plenty of icetime to continue to develop. He will be looked upon to lead the Bulls backend with the inevitable graduations of Williams and Killing. Many new defenders will play full time for the first time this season and with Lalonde entering his third season in the OHL it will be the ultimate test for him to see how he matches up against the leagues best.