OHL: All Pasquale, All the Time

The surprise team of the OHL, the Saginaw Spirit have exceeded expectations with their winning ways. Backed three NHL-drafted defensemen and by the top-ranked goalie eligible in the NHL draft - Edward Pasquale (pictured), the Spirit has climbed the West division charts. Jordan Szwarz has also contributed to team success and stands a good chance to be drafted in the top three rounds of the NHL draft. McKeen's looks at several draft-eligible prospects currently on the Saginaw roster.

Edward Pasquale (2009), G, Saginaw

Pasquale has played in every game this season, leading the league in minutes played and is amongst the league leaders in wins, save percentage and goals-against average .. a tall, athletic, butterfly goalie whose technique is unflappable .. he fills up the net well and is extremely quick for his size .. his superior reflexes in tight help him but most notably he has improved on his angle play by challenging forwards higher in his crease .. he smothers loose pucks on high shots and offers very little in terms of a second opportunity on shots deflected off his pads .. always makes the first save and his defence help him clear the crease of any possible scoring chances .. he has a good glove hand and gets it up in an instant .. he tends to hold his blocker hand too low on the stick, which at times makes him lean over too far and affecting his balance .. he desperately needs to learn how to handle the puck better, as his skills need to be polished .. Pasquale's mental toughness has been tested and so far he has impressed .. he is a fierce competitor who doesn't give up on shots .. the biggest change in his game is that he has improved on his consistency by making timely saves and learning to not let (soft) goals affect his play .. his performance has been instrumental to the successful start of the Spirit, however it is a long season and fatigue may play a factor.

Brad Walch (2009), D, Saginaw

Walch is the fifth defenseman on a team loaded on the backend .. he does not bring an offensive game to the table but does an admirable job of keeping the opposition off the scoresheet .. however, he is the only player on Saginaw to have a minus total, as he is struggling recently to contain his man on the boards due to his lack of strength and physical involvement in defending .. he is a decent one-on-one defender who will strip the puck from a player using a pokecheck and standing guys up at the line .. he does a good job of keeping a healthy distance between himself and the puckcarrier .. he won't get beaten to the outside, however it is along the boards and when his physical strength is tested when he tends to be on the losing end of the battle .. his puck skills are ok .. he is not a liability with the puck, however his ability to generate any type of offence with his passing or puck rushing ability is not something the coaches want him to do either.. Walch has an uphill battle to hear his name called in Montreal.

Cody Sol (2009), D, Saginaw

After spending the entire season with the team's practise squad, Sol saw some action in the last game of the playoffs last season .. a hulking 6-foot-5, he moves remarkably well for a player his size and is actually a better backwards skater than he is forward .. his agility is improving much like his confidence .. as is the case with most big players, warts in their game tend to be more glaring because you notice them more and Sol is no exception .. however, in recent weeks he has improved on many facets of his game including puckhandling and vision .. his passing skills could still use some work but he is mindful not to extend his passes or overplay the puck .. understanding his limitations is something he has learned, as there will be a time and a place for him to showcase other attributes to his game .. he struggles to defend against smaller players, as they tend to get behind him and cause him distress down low .. making adjustments quicker and playing a more up-tempo physical game will give him time to move .. his intimidating size is not always utilized and once he learns to use his frame to his advantage, he should be a nice pick up for a team that takes a chance on him in the later rounds.

Jordan Szwarz (2009), RW, Saginaw

Szwarz started the season on the top line, however a trade for Jordan Skellett saw him lose his spot .. a versatile forward who can play either wing or centre .. his natural position is centre, however he has been asked to play the wing, which may be robbing him of some creativity .. his work ethic stands alone and he is destined to wear a letter on his sweater .. he is an excellent playmaker who has a good sense of timing and is patient with his passes .. he is skilled down low, as his abrasive style of play makes him difficult to contain and his fearless attitude to charge the net adds to the many layers of his game .. puck control and defence are a big part to his game, as he is smart enough to know that good defence does not detract from good offence .. he is a clutch player who has earned the confidence and trust of the coaching staff and whether the Spirit are preserving a lead or looking to score a goal, he has become more and more of an option .. his speed and skating are fine and do not prohibit him from being effective in all three zones .. he does not have the frame to be a heavyweight but does not back down from confrontations, as he is 6-0 in his brief OHL fighting career .. simply put he will get involved .. he works hard off ice and is a character player that the veterans have gravitated toward .. Szwarz may not have the finishing skills of Doug Gilmour but his style is very reminiscent of him .. the NHL team that selects him will be getting themselves a very good pro.