OHL Cup: Captain Colwill

We continue our look at the OHL Cup with another batch of players that made an impression, including Markham Islanders captain Mike Colwill. London Jr. Knights winger Leigh Salters was physically the biggest player in the tournament, while Anthony Iaquinto played much bigger than his size would suggest.

Mike Colwill (2007), RW, Markham Islanders

A player with strong leadership traits .. nice frame with the potential to fill out .. smart player who knows his limits .. used in all situations and was highly effective in short-handed situations in terms of scoring and displaying his shot accuracy on a 5-on-3 chance .. positions himself well on the ice to make smart defensive plays.. skating is average; short strides and limited cross-over abilities .. needs to keep head up when stick-handling especially coming over centre ice - was hit hard twice in same game.

Projection: Colwill is a good captain and encourages his players through positive reinforcement. He possesses decent skills and hockey sense and will be likely be selected in the top four rounds. (5gp, 4-3-7 pim 2)

Travis Oleksuk (2007), C, Thunder Bay Kings

A choppy skater but to his credit is always moves his feet .. slow first step but can get nice movement with a few strides .. has a knack for attacking the net and scored a nice goal in the process .. has keen offensive awareness and is quite creative with the puck .. defensively he has a tendency to cheat, trying to rush plays before the puck is successfully out of zone .. is a chippy player, gets his stick up and hits after the whistle.

Projection: Oleksuk has continued to produce but others had better playoffs and tournaments, which may result in a drop in his ranking. He is a good hockey player and would compliment a second line nicely in the next few years with some work. Oleksuk will probably be drafted late second round. (3gp, 1-3-4 pim 0)

Joshua Bailey (2008), C, Clarington Toros

A solid captain who pays special attention to both offensive and defensive details .. positionally sound .. breaks away in the offensive zone and cuts to the net with authority .. smooth skating style generates fair speed within three strides .. tough on his skates .. player who can weave in and out of danger zones, not afraid of taking abuse to score.. nice assortment of moves .. crafty stickhandler.

Projection: Bailey is a very mature player. He will buy into team concepts and sacrifice his point totals for the betterment of the team, for which he earns top marks. He will likely be selected in the third round. (5gp, 1-4-5 pim 0)

Thor Skalski (2007), C, Plymouth Compuware

An energy player who is exciting to watch .. he is strong on his skates and generates speed quickly .. he is not afraid to get involved despite his diminutive size .. needs to work on developing patience, as he found himself offside many times in tournament .. can take passes well on forehand and backhand .. shot power is weak and snapshot is not a weapon at all.

Projection: Skalski plays an honest game and puts forth a solid effort. He is often creating some type of offence but does not have enough polish to finish, possibly due to his lack of size. Skalski may get drafted but has many things to work on until he plays at the next level. (3gp, 1-0-1 Pim 0)

Cody Wilson (2007), LW, Hamilton Reps

A tall and lanky player with average speed .. has a hard shot .. mean streak and finishes checks always.. protects the puck well .. charged net and held off defenseman with one hand while still managing to get a shot off with the other .. more effective on special teams .. needs work on positioning and defence.

Projection: Wilson could fill out considerably in the off-season, which would certainly help his game. While it is unlikely he will grow too much in a month, he still has many offensive tools, which should generate interest in the fourth round. (3gp, 2-1-3 pim 6)

Anthony Iaquinto (n/a), RW, Detroit Belle Tire

Plays much bigger than his height and weight suggest .. hits everything that moves and plays a rugged and aggressive game .. he cuts the ice really well and his speed is top notch .. has nice shot selection and accuracy .. tough to move in front of the net as he firmly plants his feet and squats down low for better position .. an emotional leader who pumps up his teammates by shouting encouragement and using his run-and-gun game .. defensively looked lost at times .. lost his edge and intensity when his team fell behind by a five-goal margin .. needs to play an energetic game to be effective..

Projection: Iaquinto, like Tropp, played on a weak team. He is not a player who should be relied upon to score goals and would be better suited in a checking role. Strength and conditioning are a must for Iaquinto to take his game to the next level. A late round selection who may pan out as a third-liner in the future. (3gp, 1-0-1 pim 0)

Adam Sikora (2007), C, Kingston Predators

Has the ability to stick-handle through an entire team .. scored a beautiful goal on an individual rush .. his skating is fluid and his top speed level is achieved in a quick two strides .. plays a physical game and draws as many penalties as he takes .. likes to hold onto the puck way too long and must utilize his teammates better..

Projection: Sikora is a pit bull on the ice and his low centre of gravity make him almost impossible to knock off the puck. He is a bit too selfish and needs to learn when to distribute the puck. His size is good for playing at the next level and he should be a 4th or 5th round selection. (3gp, 1-0-1 pim 8)

Marc Andre Bouchard (2007), LW, Kingston Predators

A small forward/defender that is generously listed at 5'11 .. played more of a defensive role throughout the tournament .. a slick and fast skater who can join the rush at will .. not afraid to take chances and both pinch and push up on forwards .. relies heavily on partner to assume defensive responsibilities.

Projection: Bouchard is versatile, but his small frame will hurt his draft positioning and it is unlikely that he will develop his game next year at the OHL level. He will be drafted in a later round, perhaps 6th or 7th. (3gp, 0-0-0 pim 0)

Jim Hutchinson (2007), RW, Grey-Bruce Highlanders

A big forward with good on-ice awareness .. can create scoring chances .. plays PK .. effective due to his long reach and is aggressive on the forecheck .. plays an in-your-face type of game .. solid two-way player .. not incredibly fast, but positions himself in areas to make plays .. can stick-handle well, especially standing still .. alert when receiving and distributing passes.

Projection: While Hutchinson has the size that will attract teams, his overall skill level does not match that of his peers. Hutchinson should get drafted but it remains to be seen at which level he will develop his game. (3gp, 0-2-2 pim 6)

Steven Reese (2007), C, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

Captain who sets a good example with a solid work ethic .. tenacious forechecker, pressures defensemen to cough up the puck with above average speed .. nice pick-up, stop and turn skating abilities .. his speed enables him to find more room on ice .. good offensive instincts and sharp shooting skills .. needs to add upper-body strength .. is slowed down considerably when hooked.

Projection: Reese could be one to keep an eye on. He has a good set of hands and his offensive tools are flattering. Reese will not play in the OHL next season but a late growth spurt and improved conditioning could see him play higher level competitive hockey next year. (3gp, 2-0-2 pim 0)

Kory Kuipers (2007), LW, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

A player with attractive skating skills, tight turns and nice acceleration .. size allows him to breakaway from defenders to set up plays .. offensively keen and able to identify scoring areas .. is willing to play a physical game .. hard shot, but accuracy must be addressed as many shots were off their mark .. defensive zone coverage needs work.. must support defensemen in clearing the zone before looking for offensive chances.

Projection: Kuipers is a good Jr. B player. Born in Aylmer he could be playing higher level hockey next year very close to home. (3gp, 0-2-2 pim 4)

Leigh Salters (2007), LW, London Jr. Knights

Biggest player in tournament .. possesses good coordination and balance for a player of his size .. effective speed once he gets his feet moving .. not overly physical but still finishes checks .. plays a complete game as he is responsible in both ends .. surprisingly soft hands, can shoot rather well and makes many short, smart passes.

Projection: Leigh's size along means he'll be drafted. It will likely be a late round selection and he will probably see his name on a Jr.B team program. (5gp, 1-0-1 pim 6)

Vincent Piccone (2008), RW, Markham Islanders

Smallest player in tournament ..elusive, avoids checks and sneaks behind plays.. offensive catalyst, crafty and always generating scoring opportunities .. well-placed shot is a weapon as is his ability to hit the open skater with nice break-out passes.

Projection: Piccone was relied upon heavily in offensive situations throughout the tournament on a deep Islanders team. He answered the call time and time again and scored key goals, including the GTG in the bronze medal game. If -- and that is the operative word -- Piccone can add size and height and his game remain the same he will be a talented player. His draft standing might suffer in the meantime, but a team may gamble and call his name in a later round. (5gp, 4-6-10 pim 4)