OHL: Barrie Picking

The Barrie Colts lost in the first round of the OHL playoffs in five games to the Mississauga St. Mikes Majors. Although they were woeful down the stretch going a paltry 2-8 in their last 10 games, they are led by a core group of forwards, a stable defence corps and a rotating goalie system, which should make them serious contenders next season. McKeen's Chief correspondent David Burstyn looks at the top prospects for the Barrie Colts.

Peter DiSalvo (2009), G, Barrie

In a bit of a surprise coaching move, coach Williamson decided to start Di Salvo instead of fourth round Boston Bruin pick and last season's first round saviour Michael Hutchinson .. Di Salvo benefits from being a late birthday and even though he struggled to find his way early in his OHL career he has emerged as a legitimate starter in the league .. dreadful in the opening game to start the playoff and only lasted a single period before being yanked .. came back and played a strong game 4, winning in OT in a must win game to stave off elimination .. confidence has always been Di Salvo's saving grace .. if he can make a few key saves early in the contest and touch the puck, chances are he will give you a strong performance .. however, his mental game gets rattled if he lets in an early goal, as he is unable to settle down .. he can also become too stationary in his crease, becoming tight and simply not coming out to challenge .. shaky rebound control .. butterfly goalie that exposes the top portion of his net far too early .. needs to develop quicker reflexes and read the plays better .. Di Salvo should get drafted but expect to hear his name in the later rounds.

Alex Hutchings (2009), C, Barrie

Hutchings played well in the opening round of the playoffs, recording points in all five games including a three-point performance, albeit in a losing game 1 effort .. has natural goal scoring instincts equipped with a half wrister and powerful snapshot .. he is a threat to score every time he has the puck .. he likes to shoot and has a quiet swagger about him that suggests he knows he is a goal scorer and is expected to take all the shots .. he skates well for a player of his size .. his game may be better suited for the wing, as he appears to flourish when not relied upon defensively at the centre position .. he needs to learn to handle the puck at a higher tempo and improve his stickhandling skills .. he needs to work in concert with a savvy playmaking centre who can distribute the puck to him .. Hutchings will compete and shows signs of intensity .. he does not bang and crash guys but is not opposed to it either .. has an outside chance of being named to the Team Canada Under 18 team.

Darren Archibald (2009), LW, Barrie

Archibald re-established himself as a top prospect in this series with points in every game and leading the team in goals and plus/minus .. an honest player who also asserts himself physically, Archibald has improved considerably throughout the course of the season, yet another feature to his game that makes him a highly sought after prospect for respective NHL teams .. he utilizes his long reach and is a smart player positionally .. foot speed tends to be a flaw at this point and due to his long stride it takes a little while for him to get going .. he handles the puck well and has a nice passing touch but does not always see his best options .. he is also becoming more inclined to shoot, as he has confidence in his shot .. his size is attractive to NHL scouts, as he has started to use it more proficiently in front of the net, showcasing flashes of assertiveness .. Archibald has shown leadership qualities in the playoffs and has outperformed players who were supposed to produce by carrying the team on his back and leading by example with his commitment at both ends of the ice.

Kyle Clifford (2009), LW, Barrie

Clifford will not be a scorer but does serve his purpose as the ultimate glue guy that will inspire teammates to work harder due to his contagious work ethic .. plays a simple, honest physical game, punishing the opposition every chance he gets .. his overall puckhandling and playmaking skills are not elite, although he did manage to score 16 goals this season - impressive when one considers his lack of quality time on the PP .. he doesn't have many moves but knows that by going to the net he will be able to create some chances, but his hand skills don't always allow him to capitalize on them .. however, he is determined and pays the price .. he has good speed and acceleration .. Clifford plays a very similar game to Jamal Mayers.