OHL: Armstrong Big Whale Prospect

We take a look at four draft-eligible prospects on the Plymouth Whalers (7-3-1) including their first and second-rounders from the 2004 OHL Priority Selection, John Armstrong and Cory Tanaka, as well as hulking forward Tom Sestisto whose older brother Tim plays for the ECHL's Greenville Grrrowl.

John Armstrong (2006), C, Plymouth

A tall player who has yet to fill out .. takes and absorbs hits well in order to make plays .. bounced back from numerous hits as the opposition Kitchener Rangers attempted to get him off his game early .. strong on his skates, especially in the corners where his reach enables him to recover many loose pucks .. doesn't sport a great takeoff gear but reaches top flight within two to three strides utilizing his long legs .. not a dynamic skater - instead relies more on his astute positioning to find goal-scoring openings .. plays in some PK situations yet is rather conservative in his defensive approach, doesn't do much aside from using his big body to block passing lanes, get in front of shots and use an active stick to pestering opposing pointmen .. would like to see more physical aggression from him as he passed up a few opportunities to dish out big open-ice hits .. needs to assert himself more .. playing alongside two drafted players in Vaclav Meidl and Jared Boll, however the trio's production hasn't come along as quickly as expected .. nevertheless, Armstrong definitely offers a nice skillset.

Cory Tanaka (2006), C, Plymouth

Second-round pick, 29th overall in the 2004 OHL draft, from the Richmond Hill Stars .. a smallish forward generously listed at 5-foot-11 .. slick skater with good wheels and acceleration .. stays low to the ice and uses quick, healthy crossovers .. played primarily on the third line in more of a prevent role as he was responsible for shutting down the opposition rather than scoring .. an aggressive forechecker who always attacks the puckcarrier .. displays good decision-making skills with the puck as well as solid overall offensive abilities .. anticipates the game well .. on one play, he noticed the opposing d-man was flat-footed and snuck out from the corner and unleashed a close-in shot, one of Plymouth's few good chances on the night as two of the goals bounced in off their own players .. all in all, seems to be playing at a level that is worthy of NHL draft consideration.

Tom Sestito (2006), LW, Plymouth

A mammoth forward at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds .. Plymouth's fifth-round pick in the 2004 OHL draft .. an imposing figure who makes his own room and casts such a presence on the ice though he's not that overly mobile yet .. size is definitely his strongest suit and he's used for this exact purpose .. seems a little slow on his feet and struggles to keep up with linemates at times .. but makes himself useful by driving to the net and causing disturbances .. also plays an effective role on the penalty-killing unit as his large frame covers a lot of ice and helps break up plays at the top of the point .. interestingly, his older brother Tim is some six inches smaller and currently honing his trade with the Greenville Grrrowl of the ECHL.

Chris Terry (2007), C, Plymouth

Former scoring sensation for the Markham Islanders minor midgets and the smallest player on the team at 5-foot-9 .. saw limited time as he doesn't play on special teams and this game was dictated early on by PP and PK situations .. nifty playmaker who showed brief flashes of his offensive creativity .. doesn't back away from larger opposition and plays a bit feisty .. however, found out that OHL refs are tough on rookies too as Terry spent a bit of time in the sin bin .. still getting used to his role with new linemates and limited icetime .. his production is certainly respectable so far with three goals in 10 games .. will be one to watch out for in the future.