OHL: 67 Power

The Ottawa 67's much like their coach Brian Kilrea, are fighters. The loss of Logan Couture at the beginning of the season to Mono set them back however, since his return the 67's have been playing inspired hockey and are competing for a spot in the incredibly tight Eastern Conference. The team is also loaded with an abundance of younger players including four '90 born kids who are all having an impact on team success.

McKeen's was on hand for several contests featuring the 67's and files these notes.

Logan Couture (2007), C, Ottawa

Looked sluggish when he first came back however, he has fully rebounded from Mono and it has been reflected on the score sheet, as he is second in team scoring despite missing over 10 games .. his defensive play will most likely garner the most attention come draft time as he plays a mature, responsible, and pro like two-way game .. always gets into shooting lanes and will pay the price to block a shot .. although he is very skilled at stretching himself out (appearing bigger) and using his limbs to block shooting lanes at times however he over commits and is beaten by going down too early .. solid passer out of the zone when he retrieves the puck .. a good skater, not great, he does manage to build up healthy acceleration with his first few strides but relies more on his positioning and sense to get to loose pucks and will make a quick feed when he is being chased down .. needs to protect himself better in open ice situations .. surprises opposition when he gets physical, as he is very strong on his skates, however rarely does he get mad and/or mean .. offensively at times he tries to be a tad too daring, while his head is always on a swivel he needs to lean more towards low risk plays .. this is not to suggest that he is careless with the puck however, it is an aspect in his offensive game that he can build on, as that is one aspect of his game that comes into question ..

Arron Alphonso (2007), RW, Ottawa

A late birth gives Alphonso another chance to make a positive impression on NHL scouts .. made it to the Memorial Cup in his rookie season .. he obtains optimum levels of speed in a few short strides .. a reckless player, he is big and brawny .. he creates with his abrasive style of play and is able to not only spot the seams and holes but also drive them .. he plays bigger than he is .. whether or not he is able to capitalize on his offensive chances is another question, he is well under a point a game this year and with three years in the league perhaps more should be expected from him offensively .. his instincts and shot accuracy are concerns .. defensively he looks very confused .. all that said he should be drafted nonetheless as he is a good project who has a good skill set ..

Matt Lahey (2007), RW, Ottawa

Lahey benefits from playing on the top line where he can take full advantage of his wide variety of shots .. constantly being set up by Couture he willingly goes to the net and has a wicked release in the slot .. more of a shooter than a playmaker he fails to see the ice as his vision is poor .. upright skater, he appears to only have one level of quickness but has a decent stride .. defensively he makes it hard for players on the ice to play their position because he is everywhere .. he needs to make major adjustments in that area of his game .. his hockey sense also comes into question and it does not bode well for his draft stock ..

Jamie McGinn (SJ), LW, Ottawa

Offensive leader on this team, he takes full advantages of his opportunities, has natural finishing skills, and knows what to do in front with the puck .. a complimentary player who moves well up and down the rink in straight lines .. not overly mobile and he has limited speed however, to his credit he is always moving his feet .. he is able to open ice for himself and this helps especially when he is barging towards the net or when he is working down low .. good wrist shot in the slot he scores most of his goals that way or by causing a disturbance in front .. there are many areas of his game that could be worked upon but a few more years in junior should help him become more mature ..

Jason Bailey (Ana), RW, Ottawa

After playing one year in Michigan (CCHA) Bailey returns to the team that drafted him 40th overall in the 2003 OHL draft .. a spark plug of a player he can motor around the ice with such guile .. he is a physical presence, hitting players and causing a general disturbance .. charges into the offensive zone like a man possessed .. great individual skills, he is capable of playing on any line because of the intangibles he brings .. is playing on the first line already and has produced amicably .. has a wide stance and while his first step needs some work once he gets going he is very hard to stop .. solid defensive efforts, he is on the puck carrier fast and forces him to make a play, often resulting in a turn over .. a great addition to a team that is building for the future ..

Derek Joslin (SJ), D, Ottawa

Recently signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks .. the captain brings a calming influence to the back end as he elects to make safe plays at the line and does not play outside his limitations .. QB on the PP, he has decent puck skills and an ok snap shot from the point however he would be better served if his shots were slightly lower .. he is very cognizant of when to jump into the play or hang back .. he has a firm understanding of the game .. his lateral movement and overall skating are positives .. he is able to catch up to forwards rather easily and does not hesitate to rub them out of the play .. plays in all situations and has a good shot of playing in the AHL once he wraps up his OHL career ..

Julian Demers (2008), D, Ottawa

After playing in Nepean of the CJHL, the 15th round 2005 draft pick opted to play in the OHL as opposed to exploring his schooling options .. slick and sensationally smooth skater he gives the back end a viable third defenseman with the potential to be a top two d-man .. he makes solid plays with or without the puck .. his long reach down low helps him with faster forwards as his lateral and reverse movement could still use some tweaking .. he shows offensive potential, not afraid to play the puck .. makes mistakes but does not allow that to affect his performance the next shift .. shows some strength to his 6'2-205 pound frame as he deliberately went after people .. a solid addition to the 67's who should be able to play many more successful seasons ..

Tyler Cuma (2008), D, Ottawa

First round selection has been nothing short of brilliant in his rookie season .. able to chip in offensively Cuma's game has taken on a completely new dimension .. he plays in every situation and has been encouraged by the coaching staff not to be afraid in his decision making .. his confidence has improved considerably and with added experience, he should blossom into a legitimate No. 1 defender .. not too eager when making a play up the ice with the puck, he shows tremendous composure that is rare of a defender yet alone a rookie defender .. has elusive puck skills, he hides the puck on his blade and often gets around many players with his quick wrists .. makes heady plays at the line with the puck .. still guilty of some poor passes and decisions however his skill set far out weighs his liabilities .. an effortless skater, with outstanding foot work .. very uncharacteristic of Coach Kilrea to play a rookie as much as he has with Cuma it is a true testament as to how mature his game is .. he should be an early pick in next year's NHL entry draft..

Thomas Nesbitt (2008), RW, Ottawa

Second round pick looks destined to be a power forward in this league as his strength, determination and intensity are all positives .. he has decent finish and although he has not been finding the net with regularity, he is still a rookie that has been slotted on the fourth line .. he is able to absorb a hit well as his strength on his skates is well ahead of his peers in the same age group .. hard worker, never quits even when the game was out of reach, he earns his ice time .. average speed, he is unable to keep up however he has good hands and will score a majority of his goals with his hand speed as opposed to his ability to separate himself from the pack .. should be a key factor for many years to come ..

Cody Lindsay (2008), C, Ottawa

Brings a very complete two-way game to the ice .. very smart and has a good feel for the game, makes solid well thought out plays with the puck .. has decent speed in a few strides but lacks the overall strength to be a difference maker in any area of the ice .. not overly physical but he is not afraid either and went into situations where he knew he would be hit to make a play .. coming along slowly and should be able to contribute more on the score sheet next year ..

Matt Ribeiro (2008), LW, Ottawa

Another 67's player that contracted Mono during the season .. the fourth '90 born player on this roster, he does not see as much time as the others before him (Cuma, Nesbitt and Lindsay) as his game is still very one dimensional- offence .. he has great hands and a sensational shot .. his skating is also very fluid and agile and he can handle the puck at top speeds .. sees the ice very well, with crisp accurate passes that often fool the opposition .. his game suffers when the puck is not on his stick or when it becomes more physically involved as he is more of a finesse player .. ice time should improve substantially next year ..